Only two episodes in and Empire Season 3 is already getting to business. Lucious is desperately trying to win back Cookie’s favor — first with lots of extravagant gifts, then with Biz Markie (yes, it was really him).
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| Biz Markie Empire Fox |
Turns out, his song “Just a Friend” is how Lucious and Loretha met back in the day. In a flashback, we see her notice him and rap with him — of course, young Lucious is hooked, just like older Lucious.
Even back then, young Lucious was determined to win Loretha’s heart, but she had a nerdy boyfriend named Barry who wanted a family, but Loretha wanted to pursue her interest in music. It’s no wonder Lucious and Loretha eventually found each other. But in present day, Lucious is just a friend and married to Anika, who finds Tariq’s teddy bear cam in Bella’s room. Lucious puts the kabosh on the bear. In another flashback, the audience learns that Tariq always wanted to hang with Lucious, but his mother told him the Lyon was trouble…
Present day Lucious causes some trouble by arranging an anti-violence summit with city councilman Angelo Dubois, thinking that it’s something Cookie wants (it’s actually what Jamal wants). Jamal, though, is still having trouble performing on stage, having yet another breakdown as Lucious demands he perform. Andre and Jamal later compare medications and try to get through their troubles together.
But actually, Angelo likes Cookie and Lucious senses that at the summit, showing his possessiveness over her to the councilman.
Andre still hears Rhonda’s ghost’s voice and even tries to summon her. He tries to find comfort with Cookie, who also lost everything at one point. Finally, he decides to move on and move out of his and Rhonda’s old place, Unfortunately, police show up as Andre is moving boxes, imply that he could be robbing the house, and use brute force on him.
The episode ends with a flash of a gun barrel.
To be continued…