WARNING! SPOILERS ahead for Law & Order season 24, episode 22, "Look The Other Way."

Law & Order season 24, episode 22, titled "Look The Other Way," suggests that ADA Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi) might have crossed a line that could end her career — or cause her to lose her freedom. Maroun has been part of the Law & Order cast of characters since the revival series premiered in 2021. She often views cases from a feminist perspective, sometimes clashing with Price (Hugh Dancy) over trial strategy because of their different points of view.

"Look the Other Way" is one of the best episodes of Law & Order since the series' 2021 return. Shaw and Reid's investigation into the death of a model leads to the discovery of a suspect who likely killed Maroun's sister as well. Maroun has struggled with grief and lack of closure since her sister's murder. In "Look the Other Way," she consistently ignores ethical guidelines in an attempt to ensure her sister's killer is brought to justice and it is implied she took matters into her own hands after the murderer is acquitted.

Law & Order: Season 24 Finale's Case Explained

A Murder Investigation Leads To New Info About The Death of Maroun's Sister

The Law & Order season 24 finale begins with one of the most brutal cases Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Riley (Reid Scott) have ever investigated. A 19-year-old model is brutally beaten, causing a fatal traumatic brain injury, and there is evidence she has been sexually assaulted. The cops initially focus on a man who was stalking the victim, but he has an alibi. However, he points them toward the real killer, a man named Carter whom the victim met at an art gallery.

.

The real story doesn't begin, however, until after DNA on the victim's body is processed. Not only does this evidence prove Carter raped and killed the victim despite a number of false statements he made to the police, but it also proves he was involved in the murder of Maroun's sister several years ago. Maroun is not allowed to work on this case because of her family connection to it, but she breaks this rule several times, ultimately endangering the case by coaching an eyewitness and leading to a situation in which the killer is acquitted of all charges.

Maroun’s Quest for Justice for Her Sister Tests Her Morality

She its To Crossing Ethical Lines But Doesn't See The Problem

Maroun struggles with ethics throughout this case. She is desperate to get justice for her sister even though she is also aware that it won't solve anything, telling Price that she had always been waiting for the killer to be caught but it doesn't change anything because her sister is still dead. That said, Maroun continually ignores instructions to stay away from the case to protect both her mental health and the ability to prosecute the killer, visiting the courtroom during the trial despite being told not to.

After the judge throws out DNA evidence, making it more difficult to prove the defendant's guilt in either murder, Maroun becomes determined to change the case's trajectory. Thus, she talks to an eyewitness: a doorman who spoke with the defendant on the night of the murder. However, she bends the rules, coaching him to make a definitive ID even though he its privately that he isn't sure that this defendant is the man he spoke with that night.

It is concerning that Maroun doesn't see a problem with this. When Price calls her on it, accusing her of undermining his case, she claims that there is nothing wrong with what she did because they both know that the defendant is guilty even if she went too far to prove it. Ultimately, she's upset when Price refuses to use the tainted testimony, which leads to the defendant's acquittal.

Given Maroun's behavior, it's unsurprising that Price suspects she murdered the defendant when he turns up dead in the last moments of the episode.

What DA Nicholas Baxter's Team In Law & Order Season 25 Looks Like

It's Not Clear Whether Maroun Will Continue To Work For Him

There have been no announcements yet about whether anyone is leaving the cast ahead of Law & Order season 25. However, Maroun's storyline suggests that she may be leaving the DA's office, if not on trial herself for murder. After the defendant's death is discovered, Maroun closes her apartment door in Price's face when he asks her if she killed the man, and it's unclear whether this is an ission of guilt or anger that Price thinks she is capable of such a heinous act.

It would be interesting for Maroun to be arrested and not appear again until her trial, as this would force her to reckon with the legal system from the opposite perspective than usual. However, it's possible that Maroun will return in the fall with an explanation that she took a leave of absence following this murder and is now feeling better enough to return to work.

That said, if there is going to be a cast shakeup, Maroun is the most likely casualty, given that this storyline opens the door for her to be fired or suspended pending an investigation.

It is also possible that one of the cops will leave the show even if Maroun remains an ADA. Mehcad Brooks' Jalen Shaw was absent for several episodes in season 24, which could be a precursor to him leaving permanently. However, Shaw's absence could easily have been due to cast rotation policies meant to save money by having main characters remain off-screen during some episodes.

What To Expect From Law & Order Season 25

Hitting A Milestone Year Means At Least One Big Case

Law & Order will hit its 25th season next year. When shows reach these types of milestones, often there are special episodes involving characters from the past or particularly big cases. No such episodes have yet been announced, but it's likely that the series will do something to commemorate having been on the air for a quarter of a century. Additionally, it's possible that there will be a storyline around Maroun's arrest and trial for murder, depending on how far the writers want to take the cliffhanger at the end of season 24.

While specifics aren't known yet, Law & Order will undoubtedly continue to follow the formula that has made it popular for so many years. The DA's office will continue to struggle with ethical and legal dilemmas as it attempts to secure convictions against the people that the police arrest during the first half of each episode. Hopefully, the cases will be both realistic and memorable as the show heads into its 25th season, which makes it the second-longest running procedural in TV history, beaten only by Law & Order: SVU.

Enjoy Screen Rant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

SIGN UP