Authority: [s9e17]

: Merritt Rook views society as "sheep" who mindlessly follow rules, leading him to launch a crusade of psychological torture and public disruption to "wake people up".

The episode explores the terrifying ease with which people obey figures of authority, even when asked to do something unethical or illegal. [S9E17] Authority

: These incidents culminated in the infamous 2004 Mount Washington, Kentucky case, where a McDonald’s manager was manipulated into a hours-long ordeal with an 18-year-old employee. Key Psychological Themes : Merritt Rook views society as "sheep" who

For a deeper dive, you can read the full recap of the episode’s plot and tropes on or explore the historical context of the "sheep" metaphor on Medium . Law & Order SVU — s9e17 Authority | by FauxCrimeInTime Key Psychological Themes For a deeper dive, you

The Law & Order: SVU episode is one of the series' most iconic, largely due to Robin Williams’ chilling guest performance as Merritt Rook.