Mini-Biography for Olivia Benson (WIP)

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 20:16:52 GMT

The Unofficial Mini-Biography of Olivia Benson (WIP)

Year of Birth: 1968 or 1969, which makes her either 37 or 38 (month and date undetermined at this time)

Height: 5'8

Weight: 130 lbs.

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown with highlights

(From Pure, s6.18)
Last known address: 203 W 69th Street, New York, NY, 10024

Social Security #: 081-61-XXXX

Driver’s License #: NY 71-401 561

Badge #: 40115 (Wrath, s3.2)

Mother: Serena Benson, an English professor, possibly at Columbia University (Taken, s2.8). Was raped by an unknown assailant in 1968 (Bad Blood, s1.11). Died in 2000 from a fall down the steps while leaving a bar drunk (Taken, s2.8).

Father: Unknown.

(According to this article (http://www.moviemansguide.com/reviews/DVD/lawandordersvu_season2DVD.php), there is a deleted scene in Taken where Benson actually meets her father, a college psych professor. But the writers determined that it would have been too early of a “closure” on her parental history so they removed it.)

Attended Siena College. (If she went to college right after high school, she would have graduated circa 1990 or 1991). Was a member of a sorority (Consent, s2.10). Pregnancy scare in college (Mercy, s4.14).

Was trained by Sgt Karen Smythe (Paranoia, s2.14), either in the Academy or she was her first partner as a rookie cop.

HUGE GAP IN HER LIFE BETWEEN 1991 and 1998!!

Attended the Police Academy with Rebecca Hendrix, who dropped out to pursue a career in psychiatry. Official attendance dates have not been determined. If Liv joined the academy immediately after college (circa 1991), she was probably a beat cop or in another unit between 1992-1998 prior to joining SVU.

In the episode Stalked (s1.8), Richard White (Benson's stalker) said she'd been with the unit for a year and a half. If we go by episode air date (11.22.99), that would mean that Liv joined SVU in May 1998.

But Elliot told Dani in Recall, s8.3 (10.03.06) that he and Liv had been together for only 7 years, which means that even tho' Liv joined SVU in May '98, she could have had a different partner at first, while Elliot was still partnered with 'Fat Alphonse'.

Elliot and Olivia probably didn't officially become partners until probably late Sep or Oct 1999, which would be right around the time that the series began. They’ve been partners for 7 years, “longer than anyone else here.” (Fat, s7.20)

During a case involving a rapist who had been a child of rape, Benson admitted to Dr George Huang, an FBI psychological profiler assigned to SVU cases, that she herself was also a child of rape. She said she became a cop because she thought she could make a difference but has since questioned her original motives (Inheritance, s3.8) and often wondered about the possibility of violence being in her genes (Quarry, s6.13). When asked what she would do if she couldn't be an SVU detective, she was rendered teary-eyed and speechless (Slaves, s1.22).

Olivia's status as being a child of rape is not widely known in the unit with the exception of Cragen, Stabler, Munch, and Huang.

Annual salary (as of 2005) - $55,000 (Pure, s6.18 – 03.08.05)

Speaks English, Spanish and French (Prodigy, s3.13)

Promoted to Detective Second Grade while her partner, Elliot Stabler, was promoted to Detective First Grade (in a deleted scene from Scourge. s2.21) after swiftly apprehending their prime suspect. (The terms "first grade" and "second grade" do not designate rank, merely pay steps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYPD) within the department in determining salary before the official raise.)

Has used four undercover aliases: Donna (at the bar) (Risk, s4.12), Dana (as Greg Elliot’s “wife”) (Risk, s4.12), Rachel (Starved, s7.8 and Storm, s7.10), and Persephone (FBI) (Informed, s8.1, Infiltrated, s8.6)

Been nearly suspended or severely reprimanded at least four times in her career: (1) agreeing to a lenient sentence for a rape victim who murdered her rapist (Payback, s1.1), (2) leaving her reporter boyfriend alone with a case file which he later used to get info for a story (Disrobed, s1.13), (3) nearly committing perjury with Elliot when they were forced to falsely arrest a suspect who was charged with the murder of ADA Alexandra Cabot, even tho she was really in WPP (Ghost, s6.16), (4) leaking information to the press regarding an Anthrax scare even tho' it was deemed "classified" by the Feds (Storm, s7.10).

Been “stalked” three times. Richard White, who had a thing for powerful women (Stalked, s1.8), Eric Plummer, who wanted revenge on her for being wrongfully incarcerated (Wrath, s3.2), and Avery Shaw, who had been harmlessly stalking her and feeding her clues trying to get her to solve a cold case, the murder of a 7-year-old boy (Quarry, s6.13).

Has killed two suspects in the line of duty. The first time was because the perp (Roger Silver) pulled a gun on Elliot (Disrobed, s1.13) and the second time was in self-defense when the perp (Eric Plummer) pulled a gun on her even though it turned out not to be loaded (Wrath, s3.2). I originally thought there was a third perp (Gordon Rickett) but was recently informed that she only shot at him first (probably just maimed him) because she knew if Elliot fired his gun, he would have killed him (Rage, s6.17)

Remarkably, Benson has never been shot in the line of duty. Her only injury stemmed from a knife slash to the throat which turned out to be relatively harmless, "a few inches to the left and you would've needed a pine box" (Fault, s7.19). She was briefly hospitalized while undercover in Oregon as Persephone when she was conked on the head by an overzealous police officer trying to break up her environmental group's protest (Infiltrated, s8.6).

At the age of “almost 17” (circa 1985), she fell in love with a man who was “almost as old as I am now” (Wanderlust, s1.5 - 10.18.99), presumably age 31 at the time of the episode. She was almost 17, he was almost 31. When she was 16, she was engaged for a short time to one of her mother's 21-year-old students. She broke it off with him when, during one of her drunken tirades, her mother threatened to have him expelled from school (Intoxicated, s6.19).

Had a brief affair with fellow SVU detective, Brian Cassidy (Closure, s1.10). Has no problem with casual sex. She ended it when he got too close. She wanted just one night, he wanted more.

Hasn’t had much luck in romantic relationships or dating in general:

1. Some nameless guy she started dating after dumping Cassidy 6 months earlier but ended up not going out with him cuz of a rape case – Cassidy: 6 months ago you weren’t ready for a relationship. Benson: C’mon Bri, it’s not you. Cassidy: Are you in love with him? Benson: With any luck, I hope so! (Closure, s1.10)

2. Nick Ganzner, a reporter who wanted to re-enact the “Subway Rapist” case for kicks (Contact, s1.19)

3. A guy named Michael, with whom she kept canceling dates due to work issues (Countdown, s2.15)

4. Former NYPD-turned-US Marshal Andy Eckerson, who wanted to rekindle their romance but she turned him down for something Stabler, er, I mean, more “stable” (Escape, s5.11)

5. Bronx ADA Jeff York, who turned out to be gay (Lowdown, s5.20)

6. An unknown guy with whom she was supposed to go to the theatre before getting called in by Cragen (911, s7.3)

Considers her partner, Elliot, to be her "best friend" (Infiltrated, s8.6).

Both Elliot and Liv have recently developed some not-so-partnerly feelings for each other, complicated feelings that have caused her to transfer out of the unit without telling him (Fault, s7.19, Fat, s7.20) only to return two episodes later (Web, 7.21), much to his delight. --- These three episodes have been affectionately dubbed The Trilogy by E/O shippers all over the world (or at least on svufansnetwork!).

She reluctantly left him for a second time -- again without saying goodbye -- when she was dragged into an FBI investigation on eco-terrorism thus putting even more strain on their already fragile personal and professional relationship.

While undercover as Persephone, her feelings for Elliot were re-addressed when she murmured his name in her sleep, nearly blowing her cover. After wrapping up her stint with the FBI, she returned to SVU six weeks later only to discover that Elliot had apparently become "close" to his new partner, a Warrants Detective named Dani Beck.

Sidenote: Elliot's feelings for Liv first came to light when he chose to save her over a little boy. He told Liv that if they chose each other over the job again, they couldn't be partners anymore, professing that she and the job were all he had and he didn't want to risk it. Deeply troubled by this realization, he confided in Huang that he wished he didn't care so much (Fault, s7.19). He was devastated by her departure both times (Fat, s7.20, Informed, s8.1) although he appeared to quickly recover by developing some dubiously romantic feelings for Dani in her absence, a fact not gone unnoticed by Liv.

Blood Type: A+ (same as Elliot)

Still has both kidneys. Claims she would give one to Elliot if he needed it (Choreographed, s8.9)

Empress Katherine

Mini-Biography for Olivia Benson (WIP)