Written By Lawrence Kaplow and Robert Brooks Cohen
Directed By Adam Bernstein
A popular social media star is raped by an MMA fighter after what appears to be a date gone wrong. However, the MMA fighter claims that he was just fulfilling his date's rape fantasy that they had discussed over text. Further investigation proves that both of them had been catfished by the same, separate third party who happens to have been a fan of both parties. Meanwhile, Rollins and Carisi accidentally get into a bar fight in Virginia, and Benson sets firm ground rules with Sheila about what she can and cannot tell Noah about his past and family background. Olivia's worst nightmare comes true when she gets some horrifying news about Noah.
Tropes include:
- Bar Brawl: Rollins and Carisi get in one after the latter spills drinks on another man's girlfriend by mistake.
- Beware the Quiet Ones: The bartender Buck nearly drops the trope name in reference to the Villain of the Week Heather Parcell. He calls her a sad sack, and comments on how "it's always the quiet ones".
- Bruiser with a Soft Center: The Monster, Andy McPherson, turns out to really be a sweet guy despite his intimidating appearance. He especially isn't fond of his lawyer/manager Slut-Shaming Katy. Benson even lampshades it.
- Catfishing: A social media star is raped by a MMA fighter. Turns out he was catfished by a Loony Fan pretending to be the star herself to persuade the wrestler that she was into rape fantasies so that he would do it.
- Good All Along: The Cold Open rapist turns out not to be an actual rapist. He did what he had done because he had been tricked into thinking that Katy was into rape fantasies and genuinely believed he was fulfilling her consensual wish.
- Good Samaritan: Katy in the aftermath of her assault (oblivious to the man who did the actual physical act), a man walking his dog spots her and recognizes her distress. He stays with her as she breaks down.
- Hidden Depths: Rollins turns out to be a fan of fighting in this episode.
- Rape by Proxy: A catfisher contacts MMA fighter Andy "The Monster" McPherson in the guise of a social media star named Katy (and does the inverse to Katy under the guise of Andy). She convinces Andy that Katy likes a good rape fantasy, which causes him to rape her entirely without realizing that she's not actually consenting to it.
- Scylla and Charybdis: The Monster is in a real pinch in this episode. He could easily walk away from the horror because he truly wasn't the perpetrator of Katy's rape, but the only way he can is to plead guilty and say that a rape occurred, which means he loses everything. The other option was to let a victim of assault go without any justice to keep his own life's trajectory, including a multimillion dollar contract. He chooses the former.
