Empire review: Kingsley is more like the Lyons than we thought

Where secrets get told, lives get threatened and the Lyons start to question if the idea of a “ride or die: is the truth, or a lie.

Hakeem successfully retrieves the gun from Bella after a “twinkle twinkle little star” serenade in the episode’s opening.

Tiana blames herself for Bella getting ahold of the gun but Cookie consoles her. “Ride or die is a lie,” Cookie decides before advising Tiana to take care of herself and “Let Hakeem do Hakeem.”

Meanwhile, Lucious laments the example he’s set for his children and says he only lived a violent life because he had to. Lucious says everyone has blood on their hands except Hakeem, and he has time to pull himself together. Lucious seems to finally be on board with the whole “break the cycle” message Jamal’s been pushing since season 2. But for Hakeem, it seems to go in one ear and out the other.

Meanwhile, Kai has gone down an Empire data-mining rabbit hole to Jamal’s dismay. Kai is determined to follow the story to wherever it leads but Jamal just wants things to go back to normal.

As Cookie and Lucious go to bed, Lucious isn’t ready to put their condo disagreement to rest. Cookie deduces that the Lyon family turmoil is because no one feels secure. And the way to secure their future is to make sure LFM’s upcoming showcase goes without a hitch to land deals and sponsorships for artists. The two seem to call a tentative truce as Lucious agrees to focus on the showcase.

Giselle is blackmailing Kinglsey with the secret of Lucious being his father. Impressed with her ballsiness, Kingsley offers to bring Giselle on as his co-CEO to run Empire and sink Lucious. Giselle agrees over a mid-afternoon glass of bubbly.

Andre and Teri bring Quincy home for an early Christmas celebration. Terri calls Andre a blessing and invites him to join their celebration over hot dogs at the beach, but a visibly uncomfortable Andre decides to leave.

The next day, Kai’s story on Empire airs and Kingsley, Giselle and Patel are inundated with a press firestorm. Giselle has a strategic damage control plan in place, while Kingsley, ever ruled by emotions, vows to have the culprit’s head on a platter.

The LFM showcase is in the middle of the tech rehearsal from hell and Cookie is about to go postal. Light fixtures are getting dropped, the LFM artists have two left feet and, oh yeah, Hakeem didn’t show up.

But this time, ‘Keem isn’t spiraling. Hakeem is at home trying to apologize to Tiana but Tiana believes they’re not good for each other and wants to leave. Showing his good heart once again, Hakeem says, “we may not be good together, but we can be good to each other.” The two end things tensely but amicably.

Andre shows up at the showcase rehearsal and Lucious leaves to meet with him. The two celebrate their victory over Kingsley but Andre continues to push Teri away, to keep her out of danger. Lucious tells Andre to accept a good thing into his life and enjoy his relationship with Teri.

Hakeem’s next stop is to a pool hall to make peace with Blake. He confesses the gun incident and the two seem to bury the hatchet after Hakeem asks for a favor.

Andre joins Quincy and Teri at the beach (the same one where Rhonda had her iconic, farewell homage to Hamlet’s Ophelia in season 2). Andre confesses his feelings for Teri but also says he’s dangerous. Teri says she doesn’t see Andre as dangerous and the two kiss.

Kingsley pins the data mining on Lucious and accuses Becky of colluding with him. Becky gets perp-walked out of Empire and Giselle is distraught that her right-hand woman is gone. Kingsley has only one thing to say, “sink or swim.”

Two hours before the showcase, Lucious finds out about Kinglsey implicating him in the data scandal and is furious. At the same time, Kai learns that Lucious kept a dossier about all of his artists and buried a lot of their crimes, from domestic violence to drug dealing. Jamal tries to defend his father but Kai is disgusted and wants to run the story. Jamal is upset and tries to convince Kai not to tell anyone. Kai agrees to temporarily kill the piece but tells Jamal he needs a break to think about returning to London for a permanent news job.

The pre-party for the showcase starts and Lucious is nowhere to be found. Cookie decides to start without him. Blake is the first performer, collaborating with Hakeem on “One More Minute,” and seemingly fulfilling his promise to Hakeem.

Lucious goes to teach Kingsley a lesson and in between punches, Giselle tells Lucious that Kingsley is his son. Lucious is in disbelief. Lucious goes to visit Tracy (Kingsley’s mother) and flashes back to the B.C. (Before Cookie) years when he was Tracy’s dealer–a time of jumpsuits, furry hats and gigantic cell phones. Lucious seems ambivalent about Tracy, despite her clear interest in him.  A young Shyne tells Lucious he needs to settle down with one girl. Lucious states he hasn’t found that girl yet.

In the present day,  heavily sedated Tracy says she knew Lucious would come back. But Lucious says that they only hung out a few times and is still in denial about fathering Kingsley. Tracy insists that he look in Kingsley’s eyes and Lucious sees that Kingsley truly is his son.

The showcase is still going and Lucious finally arrives wanting to talk to Cookie, but Cookie doesn’t want to hear it. Lucious and Cookie are getting offers for sponsorships from Nike, Live Nation and Apple but Giselle comes in with an offer they may not be able to refuse–the two can return to the helm of Empire with Giselle as a co-partner. Lucious and Cookie think about it and try to decide between their “future” (LFM) and their “foundation” (Empire).  Cookie decides she wants to try to have it all through LFM. To raise the capital she gives Lucious a check for $5 million, the cost of her condo. “I’m all in with you,” she tells Lucious. Hopefully this time it’s actually a good idea.

Lucious is about to tell Cookie about Kingsley but they have to take the stage to close out the showcase. As the two make their final remarks, Kingsley crashes the party, with his face still bloodied from the beatdown he got. Kingsley drops the bomb that Lucious is his father but concludes that he’s more fortunate than Andre, Jamal and Hakeem, because Lucious didn’t raise him. During Kingsley’s speech, a flashback reveals that Tracy tried to introduce Kingsley to his father and half-brothers, but Lucious blew her off.

In the present, Kingsley reveals that that day was the last time he saw his mother sober. As Cookie and the boys stare on in disbelief. Lucious is left speechless. Andre faces Kingsley and vows to end him. “Unless I end you first baby bro. Bring it,” Kingsley retorts. In a flash forward to three months later we see Cookie in the hospital and Andre is revealed to be flatlining as doctors desperately try to revive him.