'Law & Order: SVU' Finale: Elliot Stabler Returns? What Christopher Meloni Really Thinks

Former "Law & Order: SVU" star Christopher Meloni was in the long-running police series for 12 seasons. As Det. Elliot Stabler, he worked alongside Det. Olivia Benson (played by Mariska Hargitay), but his character resigned from the police force since the actor abruptly decided to drop out of the show. It's been over five years since Meloni was on "Law & Order: SVU," but will he return for the season finale on May 25?

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Christopher Meloni said that returning to "Law & Order: SVU" was not really up to him, despite what fans are hoping. "I just recently was talking about that," he told the news outlet. "I always presented that I'd be open to doing the last few episodes, so that's really all I have to say about that."

Christopher Meloni won't further discuss his potential "Law & Order: SVU" return and it looks like talks between him and the producers have gone down the drain. Although the actor insists that he's welcome to the idea, his abrupt departure from the series and his effort to distance himself from his "Law & Order: SVU" character and the show itself has made the producers think otherwise.

Olivia's first love: Elliot Stabler  #5yearswithoutelliot https://t.co/rsUTvPTGJa

— TheMariskaMovement (@MariskaMovement) May 18, 2016

But in truth, there were actually plans to reunite Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson at the end of Season 17, but only because the producers thought the show won't get a Season 18 renewal.  "If we weren't coming back, there were a couple things I was absolutely going to do," said outgoing showrunner Warren Leight, via The Hollywood Reporter. "We had been talking [about], had this been the last episode, we would have tried him to bring him back."

Alas, NBC decided to renew "Law & Order: SVU" for another season, so any plans of a reunion was simply scrapped. But show's producers aren't closing their doors on Christopher Meloni/Elliot Stabler completely, especially with Leight also leaving the series this season. "Law & Order: SVU" season finale will air on May 25.