WARNING! SPOILERS ahead for Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5. episode 4, "Promesse Infrantre."

Jet's (Ainsley Seiger) replacement in Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5, episode 4, titled "Promesse Infrantre," isn't looking good so far. Jet has been part of the Organized Crime Unit since its debut episode. Unfortunately, she is no longer part of the Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 cast. She was thinking about turning down a job offer from the FBI to remain with the unit, but Bell discouraged this idea because she didn't want to hold Jet back from her full potential.

Jet's replacement, Vargas (Tate Ellington), has worked with the unit as a consultant since Law & Order: Organized Crime season 4 and was promoted to full-time computer expert for the team once Jet departed. In "Promesse Infrantre," he embraces his new role for the first time, using his computer skills to help identify the motorcyclists who shot at Stabler and his family in a drive-by attack related to Stabler's investigation into the Spezzano family's association with organized crime.

Vargas Is Set Up As Jet's Law & Organized Crime Season 5 Replacement

Stabler Indicates It Before Jet Leaves

Stabler (Christopher Meloni) sets up Vargas' promotion in Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5, episode 3. When Stabler says goodbye to Jet, he tells her, "I can't believe you're leaving me alone with Vargas." While this semi-sarcastic goodbye is completely in character for Stabler, it also primes the audience to expect that Vargas will be taking over Jet's role in the Organized Crime Unit now that she is moving on. Unfortunately, Stabler's assessment that Vargas is a poor replacement seems to be correct so far.

Vargas' first task is to assist with finding the culprits in the drive-by shooting that could have claimed the life of Stabler's unborn grandchild, leading the team to be shocked that he is an expert on motorcycles because it doesn't fit his straight-laced personality. While this scene offers the opportunity to showcase another side to Vargas' personality, it also underscores that he is a virtual stranger to the team despite having worked for them for the past year.

Why Vargas' Role As Jet's Replacement Isn't Reassuring

He Doesn't Gel As Well With The Rest Of The Team

While it's possible that Vargas simply needs more time to grow into his new role, so far, he doesn't have the same chemistry with the team that Jet had. Jet had a unique personality that added humor and interest to her scenes. She was far more than just a computer expert — she had a hard time with intimacy and several failed relationships, as well as a close friendship with Stabler. Additionally, she helped break stereotypes about women in STEM by being equally adept at police work in the field as she was at computer work.

The attempt at humanizing him in the motorcycle scene falls flat because he is an outsider who has no real relationship with the team yet.

Conversely, Vargas is more of the stereotypical computer expert who struggles with social skills. The attempt at humanizing him in the motorcycle scene falls flat because he is an outsider who has no real relationship with the team yet. This might be less concerning if he were a brand-new character, but after working with everyone for a year, he should have more of a connection than he currently does, and the fact that he doesn't suggests that he may never fit in with the rest of the unit.

How Can Law & Order: Organized Crime Turn Vargas Into Jet's Worthy Replacement

His Personality Needs To Be Fleshed Out

The biggest issue with Vargas is that his personality does not make him memorable or interesting, so if Law & Order: Organized Crime season 5 fixes that problem, he will become a more worthy replacement for Jet. One way to do that is to lean into more of the type of humor that was used with Vargas when he was first introduced. For example, one of the funniest scenes in the procedural's history was when Vargas came to pick up Randall after Randall spent a night in jail and expected broad-shouldered Randall to fit into his tiny vehicle.

If Vargas revealed issues such as his desire to fit in or difficulty trusting people, that would make him a full-fledged character in a way that learning that he likes motorcycles does not.

In addition to adding more humor, Law & Order: Organized Crime needs to give Vargas at least one friend on the team. This type of friendship would allow Vargas to show a more vulnerable side than he has so far. If Vargas revealed issues such as his desire to fit in or difficulty trusting people, that would make him a full-fledged character in a way that learning that he likes motorcycles does not. Thus, the procedural should include some more vulnerable moments to help flesh out Vargas' character and make him worth investing energy in.

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