Law & Order Organized Crime “Friend Or Foe” Recap, Review, Discussion - Season 2 Finale

It didn’t matter that we knew going in to this finale that Stabler, Bell, and the Organized Crime Task Force would come on top at the end. The episode still provided a lot of action and suspense, enough to last viewers until the new season starts in the fall.  This series is different than the other shows in the Law & Order brand in that it gets the pulse racing by using a lot of action, and builds a story and the drama throughout the season and not just in one episode.  They juggled a lot of stories this season and they did an excellent job of wrapping up each one.  It all pays off in this finale, where we see everything come to a head.  Now we have a clean slate for the new season.

Here’s how things wrapped up for the key players: 

Preston Webb, Cassandra Webb: Preston Webb is dead, his body found in the Gowanus Canal,  a fitting place as it’s one of the dirtiest waterways in the nation.   The question remains: who killed him?   Cassandra had told Nova if Nova heard from Webb to tell him to meet her at the Gowanus and when.  Bell has Cassandra arrested for his murder, and also for hiring the hit woman to kill Stabler.  But when the charges against Cassandra are reduced and she is no longer a person of interest in Webb’s death, we can only turn to one or two people as the likely murderers: Nova or Derrick. 

Nova and Derrick:  Nova is last seen with her brother Derrick on a bus, headed out of town, likely back to Chicago.  Derrick had intended to kill Webb before,  but Nova shot Derrick to abort his plans.    The look on Nova’s face when she hears Cassandra is no longer a person of interest speaks volumes. As she likely knew where Webb was going to be and when, she may have used that as an opportunity to take him out.   Will they even worry about who killed him next season?  I consider the matter closed, partly because there’s no value to pursuing this as a new story line and I wouldn’t want Nova to end up in prison over it. 

Kilbride: Arrested.  

Ayanna Bell and Denise:  Bell gets to take down the Marcy Killers,  Kilbride and all the corrupt cops in the Brotherhood, and this is a huge accomplishment.  But it comes at a cost: Bell’s wife Denise had taken the job with Kilbride despite Bell’s advice not to, and Denise is stunned when Kilbride is arrested.   Denise decides to leave Bell and take their son with her, a devastating blow for Bell. 

Joseph Stabler and Gus:  Based on the evidence Stabler collected on his father,  he confronts his dad’s former partner Gus and knows that the shooting years ago was staged to frame an innocent man. Joseph Stabler got the Combat Cross and Stabler sadly realizes his father was not as honorable as he thought (he later talks with the father of that innocent man).  Gus, still the dirty cop that he was years ago, tips off Frank Donnelly that Stabler is undercover and the Brotherhood is in danger, which marks Stabler for death.   Hopefully Gus will pay for this deceit and for the frame job years ago. 

The Brotherhood: Arrested. 

Frank Donnelly:  Dead, but not after he gets the Brotherhood to help set up Stabler to be killed.  They almost succeed, except Stabler wasn’t born yesterday and wears a bulletproof vest, which saves his life.  Donnelly, ever the low-life, isn’t the one to dirty his hands by pulling the trigger.  His wife and child are his weak spot, and Stabler uses that to his advantage to help track Donnelly down and catch up with him after Stabler engages in a high-speed chase.   Donnelly knows that it’s over, and he steps back into the path of an oncoming train and is obliterated. 

Bernadette Stabler, Kathy Stabler, Eli Stabler and all the other Stabler kids:  All unscathed (except for Bernadette’s sprained wrist from falling) and still available to annoy us next season. 

The Stabler apartment:  Trashed. Ready for a remodel or maybe a new location next season.  If he’s smart, he’ll move to a high security area. 

Elliot Stabler:   His undercover assignment to expose the Marcy Killers, Kilbride, and the Brotherhood is over and, like Bell, he can consider his work a success.  But, like Bell,  the cost for him is high as well:  he is targeted for death by the Brotherhood and they almost succeed. Luckily he was wearing a bulletproof vest AND no one thought to shoot him in the head instead.  It was a very close call.  He is very conflicted about Donnelly’s suicide as there was a side of Stabler that seemed to genuinely like him.   Seeing Donnelly kill himself in that manner was likely traumatic for Stabler.  Rocking his world even more is the realization that his father’s old partner set up a shooting to frame an innocent man and his father received the Combat Cross based on that lie.  Stabler himself gets the Combat Cross for what happened to him, and instead of being honored by it, he seems unsure of how he feels.  Bernadette tells him now he knows the price of the Combat Cross, and I suspect he will continue to pay for it for a long, long time. 

Here is the recap:

Stabler meets with Gus and confronts him about filing serial numbers off of a gun and the slugs he pulled out of the tree.  He says the slugs are a match to the gun he shot his father with and then planted  to frame an innocent kid.  Gus reminds Stabler his father got the combat cross for that and if his dad could hear this he’d be sick. Stabler, looking tense, if his father was here he’d be telling him the same thing he’s telling him. Gus angrily comments that now Stabler is on some sort of mission, and Stabler says he is just doing his job.  Gus looks worried. 

Gus calls Donnelly and tells him Stabler is not one of them and that he’s undercover and making a book on bad cops. He tells Donnelly to watch his back. Donnelly, concerned, tells his wife he doesn’t have time for breakfast and makes an excuse to leave the house. He also tells her he has some loose ends so they won’t leave until tomorrow morning.  Bridget looks worried. 

Donnelly enters McCutcheon's and tells the Brotherhood that Stabler is undercover and he has been investigating the Brotherhood for IAB and the OC task force from the beginning.  The group is alarmed and angry.  Donnelly wants to do what they always do with a rat: exterminate him. 

Stabler arrives at the 3-7 and Stabler, seeing Donnelly, says everyone has an attitude this morning. Donnelly makes excuses and then tells Stabler he wants to talk to him.  As they walk down the stairs, Donnelly tells Stabler one of his contacts hunting for Webb may something on him  soon and they will find him and deal with him. They discuss how Stabler has liked working at the 3-7 and Donnelly says he trusted him and he will miss him and the Brotherhood. Stabler says they will see each other but Donnelly says it won’t be the same. Stabler says everything will be alright. Donnelly asks if Stabler has thought about what he will do when this is all over, and when Stabler says not really, Donnelly says he should because the end sneaks up on you.  Stabler looks pensive. 

In his car, Stabler tells Bell about his conversation with Donnelly, and how he set it. He was cagey and then said he’d help him look for Webb. He is going to take him up on the offer. Bell informs him the judge signed the warrant on Kilbride and she is going to take him down.  He wishes her luck. 

Meanwhile, Cassandra is at the gallery and speaks with Nova about trying to find Webb.   Cassandra thinks he may be laying low and thinks he will reach out to Nova and she is his VP and most trusted employee and that he loves her. Nova says she loves him too. Cassandra says she is like family to both of them. She sees when Webb contacts her to tell him to meet her at the Gowanus canal and he will know what that means.  She adds as soon as she reaches out to call her so she knows when. Nova wonders what if he doesn’t call, and Cassandra smiles uncomfortably and says he will. He would never leave his daughter without a father, he loves her too much, 

At Kilbride’s office, Bell and a group of federal officers come in and announce they are seeing Kilbride and the firm is under investigation by the organized crime task force and agents of the federal government and the offices are shut down. Denise looks on with concern. Bell  proceeds to a meeting room and arrests Kilbride for bribery, money laundering, and  racketeering.   Denise walks in and asks Bell to tell her this is not happening. Bell says she warned her and to look for work elsewhere.  She adds she is just trying to do her job. Denise says she hopes she is happy.  

Donnelly calls Stabler and says he has a location on Webb, a house in Harlem under construction.   He got the intel from a CI and he is calling the guys for backup. Stabler says he will see him there.  Stabler calls Bell and tells her about the lead and will text her the address. She tells him not to go in until they arrive.  He says he will see her there.   Stabler arrives and Donnell is there, the others are on the way.   Stabler wants to wait for backup and Donnelly says they are coming and wants to go in and take him down.  Stabler wants to be sure he means to arrest him and Donnelly confirms. They do so and enter cautiously.  They go up a staircase and, ahead of Stabler,  Donnelly walks into a room.  Stabler walks down the hall and sees Donnelly and the others in the Brotherhood step out of other rooms. Donnelly comments he didn’t want to do this.  Stabler shoots into the ceiling and then races down the stairs, shooting. The others chase him and return fire. Stabler jumps out a first floor window and while he lays on the ground, Parnell  shoots him 3 times. Stabler is still.  Donnelly looks down at Stabler laying on the ground and then turns to leave with the others. 

Soon after, Bell races up to Stabler and sees he’s alive and been hit in his bulletproof vest. He says he feels like he’s been trampled  by an elephant. She asks who shot him and he replies Parnell, Bolton. He tells her Webb is not there, Donnelly set him up. She says that means he is blown and they need to get him out of there. But he says they think he’s dead and they can use that.  She will put it out on the radio and buy some time. He says they will never see a dead man coming for them. 

Back at McCutcheon's, Donnelly  and the guys are laying low, talking that no way he made it. Donnelly tells them the next move is no move, no phone calls or texts. 

Later, Parnell leaves the bar and Stabler is waiting.   Parnell goes to urinate and Stabler pulls a gun on him and then punches him and cuffs him to the fence.  He tells him to say where Bolton and Donnelly are.  Parnell says he has nothing for him, and Stabler punches him, then calls in Parnell’s location as he walks off. Parnell yells to Stabler he will be looking over his shoulder the rest of his life. 

Elsewhere, Stabler gets the jump on Bolton in the same manner and cuffs him to a gate and also calls in Bolton’s location. 

The next day, the rest of Brotherhood is arrested. 

At the OC task force, Maldonado asks Bell if anyone is talking and she says they will take a bullet before they turn in Donnelly. Stabler is at Donnelly’s trying to get intel from Bridget.  Jet announces she just got a hit on Webb  with facial rec – in West Brooklyn  - and a John Doe just turned up at the Gowanus Canal. Bell races off.

Stabler arrives at the Donnelly home where Bridget wants to know what is going on.   She hasn’t heard from him since last night and doesn’t know where he is going. He sees the suitcases and asks if they are going somewhere. She asks didn’t he tell him and Stabler says he’s not telling him anything.  Bridget gets agitated and says she didn’t sign up for this and she becomes frantic. He says he will  help her and he asks who called. She doesn’t know. She cries and hugs him and he promises he will find him.  She says she can’t live without him.  As he leaves, he gets  call from Bell who explains they found Webb’s body  dead in the Gowanus canal. 

Meanwhile Donnelly is racing off in his car and is stopped by an officer.  He gets a gun ready but the office instead warns him  to stay off certain roads and where to go and he may want to switch cars.  Donnelly says, “Thanks Brother.” 

Back at the OC task force, Jet tells Bell  she is knocking down firewalls, tracing offshores and wire transfers from account to account literally all over the planet. Right now she’s focusing on transfers to an account in Italy. Bell tells her whatever she can find on Cassandra, to let her know.  Jet gets a message and is shocked, saying  Preston Webb didn't put out the hit on Stabler. Bell asks who did. 

Cassandra arrives at the morgue where Webb’s body is laying on a table. She asks for a moment alone, please.  She looks at his body and smiles but also seems tearful. Bell enters and tells her she is under arrest for the murder of her husband. As Cassandra denies it,  Bell also mentions the  solicitation of murder of a sworn officer of the NYPD, Detective Elliot Stabler. Bell adds they know she hired Belladonna.  Cassandra says that's absurd.  As Bell cuffs her, Cassandra asks her to read her rights while  she says  goodbye to her husband?  Bell agrees and as she reads the rights, Cassandra whispers  “Don't worry, baby. Mama will take care of everything just like always.”  Bell takes her away. 

Stabler, in his car, gets a call from Jet who says Bell wants an update. He explains he is tailing Bridget and thinks she and the baby will lure Donnelly out.  She is outside a medical building and she and the baby went in about 20 minutes ago, thinking it is for a pediatrician appointment.  Jet sees it on her computer that the building is for infectious diseases immunization specials travel  medicine.  Stabler possibly realizes they are trying to leave the country and when he hears a car revving its engine nearby, he ends the call with Jet and moves to pursue.  He cuts off the car from the other side of the building  and yells for Donnelly to get out of the car. But it’s Bridget who is driving and she beats on him and yells “You son of a bitch. Frank told me. You came into our lives pretending to be a friend, a brother! You practically delivered my baby! He's named after you, Elliot! He has your freaking name! The whole time you were sneaking around our backs, selling us out to whoever the hell you work for, for what? Huh? So you can be all righteous like nobody's better than you? You know who's better than you? Frank Donnelly!”  The sounds of squealing tires are heard and Stabler and Bridget see it is Donnelly’s car..  Bridget yells “Do not go after him. Please, Elliot!” He pushes her away and as he gets into his car to pursue, she continue to yell at Stabler Do not! Do not go... Elliot!” He races to follow. 

The chase continues through the streets and Stabler radios in to Bell  he is in pursuit.  She offers to send backup to intercept but he tells her not yet and have Jet GPS him and he will let them know when he has him.  He cuts the connection and Bell tells her to track him. She does. 

The high speed chase continues with the cars banging at each other. They dodge traffic.  Donnelly races through a chain link fence to a train yard and is stopped, his car and Stabler’s hitting a pile of wooden pallets.  Stabler then rams Donnelly’s car.  Donnelly gets out and runs and Stabler chases him.  While he tries to catch him, Stabler calls out: 

Stabler: It's over, Frank! Take a look around. It's the end of the line. Let me take you in, Frank. 

Donnelly: Take me in for what, an ice cream cone? No way. 

Stabler: Didn't want it to end this way, man. 

Donnelly: Yeah? How'd you think it was gonna end? [Donnelly steps out from where he was hiding] Let me ask you something, Stabler. Why? 

Stabler: I had to. I took an oath. 

Donnelly: So did I. 

Stabler: No, you didn't. You took two, Frank... one, when you became a cop, and the second when you stopped being one. 

Donnelly: Ah... nobody cares about cops except other cops. I told you that. We're all we have. 

Stabler: You're right. You threw that all away. 

Donnelly: I gave you something I never gave anybody else, okay? I let you into my family. I named one of my kids after you. I set you and your family up for life! You threw that all away!

Stabler:  Frank, you were a good cop. You were a decorated officer. You took a wrong turn. 

Donnelly: Yeah, so now what? You're gonna make an example out of me, huh? Put me away for ninety-nine plus one? Nah. I can't live like that. [A train horn can be heard nearby and Donnelly looks in that direction and Donnelly takes a deep breath.]

Stabler:  I gotta take you in, Frank. 

Donnelly: No, you don't. [The train horn gets much louder and the train rounds a corner]

Stabler [seeing Frank standing too close to the rails]:Frank... 

Donnelly: You broke my heart, pal.[Donnelly steps back right onto the track in the path of the incoming  train]

Stabler [racing toward Donnelly]:  Frank! Frank!   

Donnelly does not move as the train barrels over him.  Stabler looks on, stunned as the train continues on. 

At a later time, Stabler is packing up his desk at the 3-7 and get a call from Bell telling him he is going to get  the Combat Cross.  He doesn’t want it but she says it doesn't matter if he doesn’t want it,  they want it and it’s happening, he has no choice. He asks what it he doesn’t show up and Bell asks when has that worked out for anybody ever in life?  He begins to cry and says it is hard for him. She reminds him it is a small ceremony. He comments he knows, it will just “be me, my family and the ghost of my father.”  Bell comments whether his father is let in will be up to him.  Stabler agrees and thanks her and hangs up.  He finishes packing and leaves.

At the ceremony, we hear: “The Combat Cross is awarded to officers who perform acts of extraordinary heroism, engaging an armed adversary under imminent hazard to life. Detective Stabler came under fire in the line of duty while conducting a joint investigation into two criminal organizations: the Marcy Killers... “  As Stabler is surrounded by his family and OC colleagues, he flashed back to memories of his father.  The speaker goes on to say “Members of our own precinct who called themselves the Brotherhood.” He has memories of being in the bar with the Brotherhood cops and other memories of Donnelly. .   The speaker continues, “It means a lot. Detective Elliot Stabler. [Stabler moves to the front] You performed above and beyond the call of duty. Your selfless conduct is exemplary of valor and heroism, and you're a credit to the department and to the shield. Congratulations.”  As Stabler wears the Combat Cross the group applauds . He thanks those family and friends people close to him for coming, including Captain Cragen.    Standing alone, he has a moment of reflection. 

Sometime later, he meets Mr. Serrano in  a senior facility and introduces himself.  He says it is about his son, saying “My father was a police officer, Joseph Stabler. He and his partner framed your son for a crime he didn't commit.” Mr. Serrano cries. 

Bell arrives home and finds that Denise has left her and has taken their son.  She is devastated. 

Elsewhere, Nova and her brother Derrick are on a bus leaving town.  Nova tells him she may be staying for good, she turned in her badge and her work is done.  Derrick’s phone busses and he says he just got an alert;  Cassandra Webb's charges have been reduced and is  no longer a person of interest in her husband’s murder.  Nova looks ahead, blankly, then says it  could've been anyone, she guesses. Derrick agrees, and Nova looks away with a serious gaze. 

Back at his damaged  apartment, Stabler looks at the Combat Cross and his mom enters.  Stabler tells her he told her to give him a few days before she and Eli came home.  She knows what he told her and he asks if she’s not going to listen and do whatever she wants. She replies “Apparently.” She asks what the hell went on here and he states he had a disagreement with someone.  She comments that's some disagreement. He asks how's her arm? She explains she  tripped and sprained it, and the doctors put all this damn dressing on it, adding she thinks it makes them feel like they've done something.  She picks up the Combat Cross that was her husband’s and asks who is Frank Donnelly, and Stabler wonders why she would ask him that?  She explains she heard Bell talking about him in the restaurant Stabler states he was a friend and a cop, a very good cop and a corrupt one, and he killed himself, leaving behind a wife and little baby.  He adds he feels  responsible in some way.  She realizes that's why they gave him the medal, and he replies yes.  She looks sadly at him and says “You know, life is so damn complicated... messy... the choices we make and the reason why we make 'em. I know. [She holds both Combat Crosses in her hands] Well, it hasn't changed much in 40 odd years. They're really very beautiful medals.” Stabler adds “Simple.” Bernadette explains “Now you know the price.” She turns and walks away and as Stabler thinks on these words, we cut to black.