| "Ace" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 11.22 | → |
| Production number: 11022 First aired (US): 5 May 2010 First aired (UK): 6 August 2010 First aired (CAN): 7 May 2010 First aired (AUS): 22 July 2010 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Jonathan Greene Directed By David Platt | ||
Plot[]
When a pregnant woman is raped, the same as several other pregnant rapes that have happened recently, Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler arrive at the hospital to find that she has fled. They manage to find the rapist and arrest him just as he is beginning to lead another victim somewhere at knifepoint. Despite the fact that they caught him in the process of leading the other pregnant woman somewhere secluded, ADA Jo Marlowe says she does not have a case in court unless they find the rape victim who ran away and get a statement from her. Soon, Benson and Stabler connect the woman to an illegal adoption operation, forcing them to go undercover and expose the truth.
They are successful in getting the baby and Cragen and Fin lead an ESU team that rescues the mother and captures the suspects, though Cragen is forced to kill one to save the mother Sofia. Sofia is later murdered and the doctor who worked on her initially refuses to talk, but later secretly works with Marlowe, Judge Quinn and Trevor Langan against his attorney. Dr. Stephen Elroy reveals where a murdered woman's body is, but as he learned it from his attorney it is not admissible and is thrown out along with his deal. As a surprise, Marlowe brings in Sofia, revealing that the Federal Government had learned of the attempt on her life and faked her death.
Sofia is now eager to testify and confronts her attacker, Anton Petrov, a wanted assailant from Bulgaria and New York serial killer. Petrov is sent to prison for life, whilst Dr. Elroy is put into witness protection with his deal restored, and Sofia's family is brought to the US for protection from Petrov's people in Bulgaria. Sofia is granted asylum in the US while her baby, Aleksander, is already a US citizen as he was born in the US and he doesn't need it.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Sergeant John Munch
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang (credit only)
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring Cast[]
- Sharon Stone as A.D.A. Jo Marlowe
- Delaney Williams as Defense Attorney John Buchanan
- Tonye Patano as Judge Linda Maskin
- Peter Hermann as Defense Attorney Trevor Langan
- Sean Cullen as I.C.E. Agent Brett Trask
- Caren Browning as C.S.U. Captain Judith Siper
- Stephen Gregory as Dr. Kyle Beresford
- Kate Nelligan as Judge Sylvia Quinn
Guest Cast[]
- David Paymer as Dr. Stephen Elroy
- Hanna-Liina Võsa as Sofia Zarov
- Brooke Alexander as Beth Butler
- Bob Jesser as Glenn Butler
- Gordana Rashovich as Lili Denkova
- Kevin Corrigan as Flossie
- Pasha Lychnikoff as Mr. Brooks / Anton Petrov
- Renee Flemings as Benny
- Carlton Byrd as Zak
- Jessica Lindsey as Tina Meyer
- Gayle Turner as Court Officer Dominguez
- Robert Mouzakes as Donovan Black
- Alexander Blaise as Marty Cranston (uncredited)
References[]
Quotes[]
- Munch: Let go of her, Black.
- Donovan Black: Why? She's my girlfriend.
- Tina Meyer: He's got a knife.
- Fin: And I got a gun. Drop it.
- Benson: Looks like Lili left her brains behind.
- Stabler: Well, who the hell took her body?
- Marlowe: Whatever you guys stepped in, I'm starting to smell the stink on me.
- Benson: Well, courtesy of Donovan Black. He blew the lid of this garbage by raping Sofia.
- Cragen: And Dr. Elroy is our only link.
- Marlowe: I think it's time to put something tighter than a stethoscope around his neck.
- Sofia Zarov: You will never hurt another girl again because you will rot in the American prison.
- Anton Petrov: I never go to prison, never! Do you understand, bitch! Never! Never go to prison! Never!
- Stabler: Yeah tough guy -- folded like a little bitch.
- Marlowe: Yeah, well, life without parole looked pretty sweet when he heard the feds wanted to fry him.
- Benson: He's just lucky Sofia didn't get her hands on him.
- Benson: You lied to us, Jo... right to our faces. You said that Sofia was dead.
- Marlowe: I was protecting our victim. I needed an ace in the hole.
- Stabler: Why didn't you trust us?
- Marlowe: I couldn't take the chance that Petrov had his guys trailing you.
- Stabler: Well, you know, partners put their cards on the table.
- Marlowe: Well, like my grandmother always said... the strongest cards you have are the ones you haven't played.
Background Information and Notes[]
- The title is a reference to Jo Marlowe's statement that she kept Sofia Zarov's survival a secret because she needed an ace in the hole.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
U.S. Immigration and |
Office of |
Butler Residence |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Butler Residence |
Arraignment Court |
Supreme Court |
| Previous episode: "Torch" |
"Ace" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 11 |
Next episode: "Wannabe" |