Empire Watch: What Goes Up Must Fall Down

Jamal Lucious Empire Finale

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Andre takes a break from bible study with Michelle to break it to his father that he wants to step down as CFO. Lucious tries to talk some sense into him since he's been so instrumental in getting Empire to where it is now with the IPO, but Andre is pissed. He knows that Lucious has one of his sons in mind to take over Empire, and it likely won't be him. Andre has seen the light and gotten closer to God. Lucious scoffs at his newfound spirituality, and Andre walks out.

Lucious decides to go pay Jamal a visit at Leviticus where he's having another album release event. Of course, Lucious has his own motives and he's there to get Jamal to help him beat writer's block and work on a song together. Lucious also brings up a magazine article that he read that called Jamal the future of Empire. Although still at odds with his son's sexuality, Lucious realizes that the article may very well be right. Could Lucious finally be getting some act right? Yeah, right.

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Jamal and Lucious go on a field trip the next day to Philadelphia to their old house. Somehow the same trash cans that were there 20-odd years ago when Lucious put Young Jamal into one were still there and looking as new as ever. Lucious being Lucious says some insensitive nonsense, and Jamal threatens to leave since he's doing him a favor and not the other way around. Lucious plays nice and they go inside where they find his old keyboard and begin trying to hammer this song out. Jamal cracks on the inherent struggle of his father's voice and lyrics and comments that Beretti may very well have written his best songs. Oop! Lucious' face is cracked, but he doesn't do or say anything else crazy and he listens as Jamal begins playing and singing. Of course, he loves what he hears, and he grabs a nearby guitar and strums away. Father and son begin to play and sing together and Terrence Howard as Lucious includes a sly reference to Hustle & Flow. While they're flowing and freaking the song, there's a flashback to Lucious shooting someone else back in the day. It's unknown who this is or why Lucious shot this person, but his body count is rising like some yeast rolls.

Lucious and Jamal have just created a banger in his mind, and he's crunk about it. Jamal tells him to slow his roll, though, because they had an agreement that if he helped his dad that Cookie would be brought back on board to produce the tribute concert. Lucious challenges him and tells Jamal to get back his masters from Beretti then they'll have a deal. Talk about a deal with the devil.

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At the Lyon compound, Cookie is looking for Lucious when he comes home to find her there. He's had a complete attitude adjustment since their last run-in and informs Cookie that he wants her to produce his tribute concert after all. She doesn't give him an answer before lighting him up and asking why Jamal texted her to say he's going to Beretti's to handle some business and that Hakeem is on the verge of signing with Creedmore.

Things are poppin' at Beretti's crib with bikini-clad models popping bottles amongst fully dressed partygoers when Jamal arrives. Beretti and Jamal exchange small talk and then they agree to have a more in-depth conversation. Next thing we know, Jamal has Beretti hemmed up on the balcony and threatens to throw him off. Jamal means business as he channels his inner Big Red from The Five Heartbeats and tries to get Beretti to sign over his dad's masters before he meets his maker. Out of nowhere Lucious and his security force come on the scene, and he tries to reason with Jamal to let Beretti go. Jamal tells his dad that he's got this and to go get Hakeem. Lucious surprisingly does as he's told ,but he gets the biggest surprise of all is when he finds Hakeem sexing Anika like a man fresh out the penitentiary in a bathroom. Boo Boo Kitty gave up the kitty to her old man's youngest seed. Woo chile!

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Believe it or not, Lucious leaves quietly and doesn't bust a cap into anybody. The next morning he's meeting with his doctor at his house and gets an even bigger bombshell dropped on him: LUCIOUS DOESN'T HAVE ALS! It turns out that instead of ALS he has MG, Myasthenia Gravis, and was misdiagnosed this whole time. The disorder MG has similar symptoms, but unlike ALS it isn't fatal. So much to everyone's dismay, Lucious' days aren't numbered and he isn't dying after all. He kicks the doctor out of his house for misdiagnosing him and goes through a range of emotions once he realizes he ain't going nowhere no time soon.

Lucious' first stop after this good news is church -- not to praise the Lord but to get Andre back into the Empire fold. Andre's not having it, and he reads his father for filth in the vestibule before entering the sanctuary where Michelle is practicing with the church choir. It becomes clear to Lucious that Andre is enamored with Michelle and that's who's gotten him to make a life change. That's when Lucious puts a plan in motion to entice Michelle with the promise of a gospel record deal. Lucious pours it on thick when he introduces himself to Michelle, and she falls for his promises hook, line and sinker. Andre is disgusted with his father and mad at Michelle for falling for the okey doke.

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Later that night, Lucious is getting ready for bed and his nurse administers his medication to him and explains the possible side effects, including insomnia. He's soon knocked out, and Cookie comes into his bedroom to find him sleeping like a log. She goes off on him while he's asleep, but then Lucious starts talking and acting crazy while still seemingly asleep. Guess the nurse forgot to explain these additional side effects of Lucious talking in his sleep and seeing ghosts because that's exactly what happens next when Bunky is seen sitting at the foot of the bed. Cookie is confused as hell trying to figure out what is going on then Lucious stops her in her tracks when he admits to killing Bunky, that he doesn't have ALS and that this tribute concert will be his comeback show just like Jesus was resurrected -- all while asleep! Cookie is mortified and cannot believe what she's heard.

Back at the church there's a revival, and Michelle is singing for her life. Over at the Empire Entertainment offices, Jamal and Ryan sneak into Lucious' office to get freaky on daddy's desk. Hanika are in bed together and laying there trying to figure out what they've just done. Andre's pissed off at Michelle and leaves church before they collect tithes and offerings.

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While Lucious is getting his beauty sleep, Cookie is beside herself with grief over his sleepy revelations. She decides that it's time to introduce Lucious to his maker and picks up a pillow on his bed with the intent of suffocating him. But she can't do it. She can't give Lucious was he truly deserves -- to die. -- Butta

3 of 5

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