'Law and Order SVU' season 18 spoilers: Carisi in danger; Benson and Tucker's future and Benson's motherhood

Details on the upcoming episodes of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" season 18 have been revealed by NBC and it looks like fans are in for an explosive start for 2017.

The show returns Jan. 4 to end its almost two months of hiatus. The episode to kick off the year will be "Next Chapter," which will once again see Carisi (Peter Scanavino) in the face of danger.

Carisi found himself in all sorts of danger in the past. The instance in "Law and Order: SVU" season 18, episode 7, however, gives fans a good reason to worry about him.

The promo for the episode shows a gun pointed to his head, leaving the detective at the mercy of a man who appears to be a stalker who sexually abused a woman, which is why Carisi was there on the first place.

NBC has teased a lot of times the possibility of Carisi biting the dust, but he always lives to see another day. This might be the case with what's happening in "Law and Order: SVU" season 18, episode 7.

But then again, fans will remember that Dodds (Andy Karl) had been in the same situation, which led to his death. However, with Scanavino still part of the next episode, it is safe to say he is getting out alive.

Meanwhile, "Law and Order: SVU" season 18, episode 7 will also see Tucker (Robert John Burke) think about retiring and building a life with Benson (Mariska Hargitay).

Episode 8, "Chasing Theo," makes this particularly interesting as it will find Benson questioning herself with regard to taking care of her son. The synopsis reads:

"A 6-year-old boy disappears from his bed in the midst of a wild, drug-fuelled party thrown by his mother. With a child's life on the line, the case causes Benson to scrutinize her own role as a mother."

"Law and Order: SVU" season 18, episode 7, "Next Chapter," airs Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.