Could it really be happening? Could the endgame fans have been waiting 27 years for be happening? Mariska Hargitay has teased more about Christopher Meloni’s upcoming guest appearance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the possibility of her Captain Olivia Benson and Meloni’s Detective Elliot Stabler finally becoming a couple. She told fans, when asked during the NBC Preview Event, to “never give up hope” when it comes to wishing for that EO Endgame. It was accompanied by an absolutely gleeful smile that maybe was a hopeful extra hint at something or just the actress relishing working with her longtime friend and former co-star.

In an extended preview of the season, Hargitay says that why people stick with the show for so long is that “part of the story, because we’ve been together for so long, is really built on history.” Hargitay explains, “and the love and the pain that comes from building these relationships and then losing some of these relationships. So we start off there with some high stakes at a very painful loss.” She explains that for Benson and Stabler specifically, they “come together at big moments.” The pair were drawn back together after the death of Stabler’s wife, Kathy (Isabel Gilles) and have been circling each other’s orbits ever since. That includes an almost kiss two years ago in the episode “Blood Out” after yet another “big moment.”

Every Change Coming to ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 27

The winds are already changing as the police procedural enters its historic 27th year and with it comes more history making in Michele Fazekas as showrunner. Her presence marks the first female showrunner in the drama’s history. Fazekas replaces David Graziano. There are other changes coming in the form of longtime writers Julie Martin and Norberto Barba exiting. Barba is expected to stay on as a director. In front of the camera, Juliana Aiden Martinez and Octavio Pisano are departing the series, with Pisano staying on for at least the premiere episode. Aimé Donna Kelly has been upped to a series regular and Kelli Giddish has been re-upped to series regular for Season 27.

Said winds of change have fans excited about Fazekas, having co-penned the episode that redefined Benson and Stabler’s dynamic, “Fault.” The first episode of Season 27, “In the Wind” is expected to see Meloni guest starring. And if set pictures are anything to go off, there will potentially be more 1.0 characters showing their faces, including Dann Florek’s Donald Cragen and Dean Winters’ Brian Cassidy. If that’s only the tip of the iceberg, the show under Fazekas’ leadership is in good hands.