Christmas comes early for Cookie courtesy of Lucious, whose get her back campaign could put Robin Thicke to shame. Among the spoils Cookie receives are gold plated street signs, a gold pistol and a stone lion statue.
Also, the return of Porsha!
Cookie sends the gifts away because you can't buy her love.
via GIPHY
Meanwhile, Boo Boo Kitty Anika is interviewing nannies until Lucious kicks them out because he's more than capable of making viewers uncomfortable trying to seem paternal on his own. Anika pleads with Lucious to let her get some help. Leah attempts to step in but Anika doesn't want her anywhere near Bella.
Jamal is doing radio shows to run damage control after his panic attack during the Xtream event. He is doing a talk show with councilman Angelo DuBois (Taye Diggs). DuBois invites Jamal to one of his anti-violence summits and Jamal accepts despite Cookie's protests. Cookie attempts to get Jamal out of the summit, unfortunately people have already started Snapchatting about Jamal being there, which of course makes it official. Cookie isn't happy.
Lucious is gassing Nessa (who continues her role as the shows selective mute) up after her performance at the Empire Xtream event. Shine and Hakeem announce their intent to work on an album for Hakeem that will feature Nessa, which prompts Lucious to once again dig at Hakeem for being a deadbeat father. You know as wrong as Lucious was/is, I'm beginning to agree with him. With the exception of one scene this season and the giant teddy bear from last season, Hakeem has not taken any responsibility for his child. Guess Li'l Drip Drop hasn't grown up as much as I'd hoped.
After returning all of Lucious' extravagant gifts, Cookie once again insists that he respect her boundaries. Lucious continues to believe she will come around.
Jamal is giving a tour of Empire headquarters to the teens in Angelo DuBois' anti-violence program. Lucious suggests they have their anti-violence summit at Empire, which really turns out to be a ploy by Lucious to get some content on Empire Xtream (which, as a friend of mine pointed out, is starting to sound an awful lot like another popular streaming brand).
Hakeem and the now-speaking Nessa are recording together and sparks begin to fly between the two. Guess 'Keem wasn't that heartbroken over being stood up at the alter after all.
Becky has a meeting with Cookie (who has apparently decapitated either Thing 1 or Thing 2 to wear as a bracelet) to discuss A&R business before they are interrupted by Lucious. Lucious plays Cookie a track under the ruse of it being for Jamal, but it's really a remixed version of "Just a Friend," the song Lucious was rapping when he and Cookie first met--leading into yet another flashback.
Cookie once again insists that she is done despite Lucious' attempts to drag her back into yesteryear.
Andre continues to hallucinate Rhonda's voice as he wonders how he will manage his medication without her. Jamal offers to help Andre by making a chart.
At the summit, Lucious tells Cookie that he believes Jamal is trying to cover up the fact that he can't sing anymore. Cookie tells off Angelo DuBois for using her son to promote his summit. She then tells him he knows nothing about growing up in the inner city because of his rich background.
Lucious continues his "Get-Cookie-Back" campaign (seriously, where was this guy when Robin Thicke was trying to get Paula Patton back?) by bringing Biz Markie (the rapper who originally did "Just a Friend") to Cookie's apartment. Cookie enjoys the surprise but insists that it was Lucious' music that attracted her. Cookie then reveals that she had a boyfriend when she met Lucious.
Andre continues to struggle with his grief and asks Cookie how she dealt with the loss in her life. Cookie tells Andre that he too is a fighter and asks him to keep fighting.
Hakeem is continuing work on his new track with Shine. During a conversation with Hakeem, Shine punches out a sound engineer who was checking out Nessa--scenes with Shine in them are quickly becoming the most stressful parts of the show to watch, you never know when someone's going to get knocked out. Hakeem begins to have second thoughts about his relationship with Nessa. So far, that's the best decision he's made all season.
At the summit we are treated to more Cookie flashbacks. This time we learn that her boyfriend before Lucious was a smart guy who wanted to save the world (not unlike Mr. DuBois) who Cookie dumped to pursue music. He also called her by her real name, Loretha, that's how you know it's real.
Lucious gets up to speak at the summit and invites Jamal to sing. This triggers another panic attack and Jamal walks out into the hallway. Cookie tries to help Jamal but Lucious has no sympathy. Jamal admits that he can't get on stage anymore because he's scared. Cookie also begins to soften too and flirts with Mr. DuBois, much to Lucious' displeasure.
Back at Empire headquarters it's time for another round of "Good News Bad News". The Good News: JPoppa and Becky are still together.
The Bad News: JPoppa wants to leave Empire and he wants to take Becky with him. Becky wants to stay out of loyalty to Lucious but JPoppa points out that the label is going down--fast.
Jamal attempts to treat his pain and anxiety with pills and booze at the ....
Andre points out that Jamal has PTSD and the Lyon brothers commiserate over their messed-up-ness. The all agree to help each other recover from their issues. Andre decides to go to his and Rhonda's old house to collect his things.
Meanwhile, in a flashback via Tariq, we learn that his mother instructed him to stay away from Lucious as a child. As Tariq watches Lucious via a stuffed animal hidden camera, Anika discovers the camera and Lucious breaks it.
In the final scene, Andre is stopped, questioned and then unfairly arrested as he tries to get his things from his house.
Here's what's on tap for next week:
Andre goes to court.
Tariq is shady.
Angelo and Cookie get closer.
also ...
Mariah Carey!
Stay tuned.
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