Empire is hosting a #FreeLucious concert, which drew hundreds of people to see the Lyon brothers perform in support of freeing black men from wrongful imprisonment.
(Y’all know Lucious actually killed someone, right? Mess.)
Hakeem tells his mother backstage that everyone knows Lucious is guilty, but she’s determined to keep going with the concert, only interested in impressing investors so she can get more leverage in the company.
Hakeem and Jamal kill it onstage, as always, despite the ever-present rivalry.
Cookie has a new friend named Mimi Whiteman, who is interested in investing in Empire. Judging from the fact that 1. Mimi is looking at Cookie as if she’s actual dessert and 2. Cookie is acting more than a little shady, I’m guessing Mimi is gonna be trouble.
Frank (Chris Rock) is finally in prison and, of course, he and Lucious are friends.
Although, who knows…they could be faking it.
Jamal visits his devil of a father in prison. Lucious wants to get out, and his newly reformed (for the worse) second eldest son is trying to free him. Cookie hasn’t come to visit him (I wonder why), which Lucious is apparently slightly offended by.
Lucious saw the concert on TV, and demands that Jamal find out who the “lesbian bitch” (Mimi) is.
Andre’s having nightmares about Vernon’s death. As usual, Rhonda has zero guilt and is sure they’re fine, but Andre won’t feel secure until their “hostile takeover” is complete and he’s running Empire.
Frank calmly confronts Jamel (in jail for armed robbery he “didn’t do”) about killing one of his men. Jamel denies it, and he’s an awful liar.
Cookie throws a party for Mimi (who IS this chick?!). She flirts shamelessly with Annika too, and everyone is sucking up to her. I have no idea what’s going on here.
Jamal has a nasty attitude now that he’s in charge of Empire. Ugh.
BUT he’s back together with Michael, so YASSS.
They’re cute and I still ship them, but I prefer the old, humble Jamal, thank you very much.
Jamel tries getting in touch with Cookie to warn her she and the boys are in danger because of Frank. She doesn’t answer.
Cookie gets some roses from a sender claiming to be Frank. Carol calls and tries to warn Porsha that it’s real, but she doesn’t pay attention.
The prosecutor, Roxanne (who looks more like an escort than a lawyer…um?) visits Lucious in jail to warn him shewants to make sure he stays there.
Cookie and Hakeem walk into an Empire meeting and announce that, with Mimi’s money, they’re taking controlling interest of the company. Jamal doesn’t seem too worried because, as Mimi reveals, she wants Lucious in charge, so she’s on Jamal’s side.
Cookie arranged to have Annika sleep with Mimi as a bribe, which she did…but it didn’t work, Boo Boo. Talk about a blow to the ego.
Jamal shows everyone a video message from the devil in prison.
“Game over, bitches. Bye bye,” is all Lucious says. So articulate.
Frank tortures Jamel, who eventually admits Cookie is the one who told the FBI. Frank doesn’t believe she would snitch at first, but it doesn’t take him long to change his mind.
Cookie and Jamal butt heads again, and she tells him he’s turning into his daddy.
Carol shows up to tell Cookie about the roses herself. Inside the box that came with them is a severed head.
Lovely.
Cookie calls Jamal while he’s in the studio. She tells him to go to his father’s house where he’ll be safe.
Cookie finally visits Lucious, who says he “still loves her” and is sorry he didn’t visit her in prison because it’s hell.
Awww. Puke.
Of course, Cookie doesn’t fall for that.
She tells him about Frank, insisting he needs to “fix it.”
These two have the weirdest, most twisted relationship, but it’s so….intriguing.
Lucious goes to Frank, says they can work out any problem between them.
Everyone is at the house waiting for Cookie. Carol tells Andre, Rhonda, and Jamal about Frank.
Lucious compliments Frank’s daughter, whose musical talent he heard when she visited her father. Frank makes it clear that he only has beef with Cookie because she snitched. Lucious tells him that he loves Cookie, so a war with her is a war with him too.
How romantic.
Frank instructs his thugs to kill Lucious. However, Lucious already made them his allies…using his money and power, as always.
Needless to say, Frank isn’t a problem anymore.
Jamal tells Hakeem that he’s burying his album, and doesn’t plan on releasing it. Hakeem tells him that he’s only doing it because he knows the album will do better than Jamal’s.
Cookie gets back to the house and tells everyone they’re safe.
Jamal kicks them all out of his “father’s house” because they betrayed Lucious.
Cookie tries to talk sense into him, but maybe he really has become his father’s son…
In next week’s episode, Lucious is out of jail and the drama REALLY begins.
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