Mariska Hargitay Shines in Law & Order: SVU Sneak Peek: You Don't Mess With Mama Bear Benson

Mama Bear Benson is out in full force in the Wednesday, Oct. 4 episode of Law & Order: SVU. In the above sneak peek, Mariska Harigtay's Olivia Benson is put through quite an experience. No, it's not torture at the hands of William Lewis, but her parental abilities are in question.

In the Law & Order: SVU season 19 premiere, Noah (Ryan Buggle) told his teacher his mom, Benson, gave him the bruise on his arm. She did in fact do that—when she was grabbing him from getting hit by oncoming traffic. Cassidy (Dean Winters) returned to tell his ex-girlfriend she was under investigation by the district attorney's office after his teacher, a mandatory reporter, flagged the possible abuse.

The clip above from "mood" features Underground actress Amirah Vann putting Benson through some hellish experiences and asking all sorts of things about Dr. Lindstrom (Bill Irwin) and Benson's past trauma.

"Noah told me you work too much," the investigator tells Benson.

"Show me another 4-year-old on the planet who would say differently," Benson says.

And then she goes in for the jugular with Dr. Lindstrom.

"I was kidnapped by a psychopath, I was held hostage, I was tortured and he threatened to do god knows what else," Benson shoots back.

Take a minute to breathe. This is some of Hargitay's best work. Take notice, Television Academy! You're going to want to watch the clip above to see what happens when they discuss William Lewis in depth. And have tissues ready.

"What I realized when I finally got to the other side, when I knew that I was going to live…was that I wanted more, more than the job, more than a relationship. The reason that I fought so hard to stay alive was for Noah. And I hadn't even met him yet," a teary Benson says.

Law & Order: SVU airs Wednesdays, 9 p.m. on NBC.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)