Stabler was a detective for Manhattan's 16th Precinct for over a decade before the events of the Season 12 finale spurred his retirement. As speculation ramps up about the newly announced SVU spinoff that's set to star Meloni, we're revisiting why he left the flagship show all those years ago. In the Season 12 finale called “Smoked,” a girl named Jenna (Hayley McFarland) decided to avenge her mother’s murder.

Stabler’s last moments were dramatic, to say the least. His sudden departure came without warning and left many fans with a lack of closure. The unexciting reason Meloni left the show was the result of failed contract negotiations with the network. Christopher Meloni played the incredibly popular character Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU from 1999 until 2011. And considering how much trouble Elliot got himself into over the course of his 12 seasons on the show, including the too-many-to-count near-death experiences, it's easy to forget on what terms he ended up leaving the show. She went to the SVU office and shot the criminals in the cell where they were being held. Det. What happened to Stabler’s character and why did Chris Meloni leave? She went to the SVU office and shot the criminals in the cell where they were being held. Truth is, the closure isn’t coming. We totally understand the need for a refresher here, considering the almost 500 episodes SVU has delivered to its passionate viewers.

Why did this powerful and electrifying detective leave SVU ? In the season 12 finale called “Smoked,” a girl named Jenna (Hayley McFarland) decided to avenge her mother’s murder.