Empire review: Kingsley becomes the newest prince in the Lyons’ pride

Kingsley has a lot to learn about being a Lyon. Will Lucious be able to teach him his ways or will something else get between them on Empire?

Empire‘s episode this week was all about the children and their relationship to their parents. As Andre fights for his life, Lucious and Cookie accompany Teri to a church service where the preacher advises the congregation to get their house in order.

Lucious takes the advice seriously and decides to make things right with Kingsley to help Andre. Unfortunately, Lucious’ determination to even the universal odds drowns out Cookie’s genuine feelings of worry. Lucious asks Tracy to bridge the gap between him and Kingsley, but Tracy insists that it has to be Kingsley’s choice. Meanwhile, Cookie finds increased solace in Damon Cross as she fears the worst for Andre.

Wearing a wire, Kingsley visits Lucious to get dirt but gives himself away when he asks unusual questions about how Empire funded the Trust tour. Kingsley goes to his mother who continues, against her earlier promise to Lucious, to lie about their relationship.

Andre responds well to treatments, and the doctor predicts that the next round of therapy could put his cancer in remission. Cookie goes to celebrate with Damon but continues to feel guilty about their secret meetings. She decides to end things, but he pushes for more, saying: “We both know I can give you something Lucious can’t.”

Back at Empire, Lucious admits to Kingsley that he did set Tracy on the path to addiction, but he remains adamant that he didn’t know about Kingsley. That’s enough to get Kingsley to reveal his wire and get a hug. Later, he turns in his wire and refuses to be a mole for Attorney Conway — but she doesn’t take his backing out well.

Lucious invites Kingsley for family dinner where his reception is, well, less than warm. Lucious insists that the family welcome Kingsley, reminding them that he’s had to make amends with all of them at different points. The family grudgingly agrees, and Jamal lightens the mood by announcing that he and Kai want to get married as soon as possible. As the Lyons toast to new additions to their family, the Trust tour hits another hurdle. Attorney Conway leads a raid backstage and stops the show’s progress, claiming that Lucious is using the Trust Tour to transport narcotics across the country.

Lucious’ reunion moment with Kingsley was touching, but it will take a lot more than some stern words from him to get Cookie and the rest of the Lyon clan to welcome Kingsley with open arms. While it is true that Lucious has had to make amends with all of his boys and his wife, Kingsley has the distinction of not having grown up or lived in the same house as Lucious. While that has undoubtedly left some scars, there are also some things Kingsley didn’t have to put up with.

Among them:

• Being literally thrown in the trash, rejected and forced to marry someone you didn’t love because you’re gay
• Repeatedly being denied advancement in Empire because of your lack of musical talent
• Having the woman you love coerced into suicide and growing up without your mother because she was doing time for your father
• Serving a nearly two-decades-long prison sentence and being asked for a divorce while still incarcerated. When you get out, as you’re constantly trying to reunite with your true love, he carries on with other women in front of you over (Anika), and over (Giuliana), and over (Nurse Claudia) again.

Kingsley has some healing to do, but it wouldn’t surprise me if to the other Lyons it looked like he’s had an easier time gaining Lucious’ love and acceptance.

As Lucious builds his relationship with Kingsley, his bond with Cookie continues to deteriorate. This drive toward absolution and righting his wrongs is nothing but thinly veiled narcissism. It’s less about wanting to do what he can for Andre and more about him looking like the hero who rescued his sons. This time, Damon Cross is waiting in the wings and doing all the right things. Cookie is experiencing what a truly attentive man feels like, and it’s making Lucious seem less and less attractive – as evidenced by the look of sheer disdain she shoots him from the head of the table at the end of the episode.

I’m still keeping an eye on Damon. It’s odd that he always knows the exact right thing to say and do at all times. While Damon may not be as dishonest as Lucious, it’s only a matter of time before the other shoe drops.

But on the plus side, Jamal and Kai are finally tying the knot, and we get to see how the Lyons plan a wedding. There are only two episodes left in the season. Will everyone finally find their happy ending, or will their lives all go up in smoke?

What did you think of “A Wise Father That Knows His Own Child”?