The two-part Season 17 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' finale shocked viewers with the demise of Sergeant Mike Dodds. Here’s what went down.
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The sergeant's dying marked the first time in 17 seasons that the crime procedural killed off an inside member of the squad, though Mike had admittedly been a brand new addition, having joined SVU earlier that season following Olivia Benson's promotion to lieutenant.
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Who is Mike Dodds on 'SVU'?
Sergeant Mike Dodds was introduced to audience at the beginning of Season 17, following Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay)'s promotion to lieutenant of the Special Victims Unit.
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Transferred by his father, the deputy leader, Mike Dodds leaves his post at the Anti-Crime Unit and takes over Olivia's position as sergeant.
But his place is not a permanent one, and by way of the finish of the season, he is preparing to join the Terrorism Task Force whilst the squad at SVU is dealing with a actually intense serial rapist case involving a Rikers correctional officer called Gary Munson (Brad Garrett).
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How does Mike Dodds die on 'SVU'?
It's actually at Mike's good-bye birthday celebration that Olivia calls on her squad to help a victim of domestic violence leave her space safely (Gary's spouse), and despite the fact that it is Mike's ultimate day on the task, he provides to be in agreement.
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This turns out to be a gorgeous deficient resolution on his section, as it turns into transparent that Gary isn't going to let Mike or his wife out of the house and not using a combat. Gary finally ends up keeping his spouse and the sergeant hostage at gunpoint, and when Dodds Jr. tries to clutch his gun at one point, he finally ends up being shot in the shoulder.
Things get especially tragic at this level as a result of, as soon as at the hospital, everyone — from audience to his own dad — thinks Mike is ready to make a full restoration, and it isn't till his fiancée comes to talk over with him that Benson realizes Mike's having bother making sense and slurring his phrases.
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A health care provider ultimately informs Mike's dad that his son has sustained a mind hemorrhage and that he may not recuperate. It's an ideal somber second that sees Chief Dodds (Peter Gallagher) breaking down in Olivia's palms, and Olivia, in flip, does not also have to utter a phrase to the remainder of her squad for them to perceive the magnitude of the tragedy.
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Following his tragic and untimely death, Mike is given a hero's funeral for which the whole staff dresses up in full police uniform. Afterward, they be mindful their fallen colleague at a wake in an Irish pub.
Why did Andy Karl go away the display?
As lovers know, Mike's death is a big reason that Carisi (Peter Scanavino) sticks around the squad for another few seasons, despite the fact that he passes his bar exam round this time.
But it seems that the explanation why SVU lost a first-rate member for the first time in 17 seasons is that actor Andy Karl took a job in a musical. He performed the lead in the musical adaptation of Groundhog Day, first in London, then on Broadway.
As showrunner Warren Leight jokingly defined in an interview with E!, "I liked Andy, I loved working for Andy. We gave him more and more and he got stronger and stronger, but he's going to do a musical. When I heard he got a musical I said, 'Oh, you're going to catch a bullet.'"
Catch new episodes of Law & Order: SVU, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.
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