Last Week on Empire, Jamal ditches his coming out press conference, everyone knows about Bunkie's death, Hakeem finds love with Teyana, Cookie is still trying to convince Lucious that Jamal is good enough and we find out that she wasn't released on good behavior alone, but she'll have to testify and she fears for her life.
Teyana and Veronica are recording their new music video with Hakeem watching. Lucious shows up and Hakeem asks about shooting a video, but Lucious tells him he needs to go back into the studio.
Veronica is upset with Teyana for pushing her and they stop the video shoot. Her manager Mel tells Lucious that Veronica needs to be in the spotlight more and threatens Lucious. Lucious brings Mel to his trailer where he beats him with a piece of stage equipment.
Cookie shows up to talk about Bunkie's funeral.
Lucious is in a meeting when Andre walks in with a magazine stating that Kid Fo-Fo has signed with Beretti's Creedmoor Records, a rival.
A Detective, waiting to talk to Lucious, admits to being a fan and reveals to having an eyewitness for Bunkie’s death. Lucious talks to Andre about using his ties with City Hall to find the man before the detectives do.
Cookie and her assistant, Portia are looking for songwriters for Jamal. She tries to plead her case, but Jamal wants to write his own songs.
Anika goes to Lucious and Vernon with a private detective that she hired to follow Cookie. She shows them pictures of Cookie meeting with Feds.
Lucious confronts Cookie about meeting with the Feds and tells her that he will destroy anyone who comes in the way of his family.
Cookie sees her little sister Carol at the funeral, but knows she didn’t tell Lucious about her deal.
Gladys Night makes an appearance as a singer at Bunkie's funeral. Lucious is seen crying with a voice over of his eulogy for Bunkie. In the eulogy, he admits to not helping Bunkie out with money and that he feels his death is his fault.
Andre meets with Deputy Mayor Alvarez, his City Hall connection. He pins her to the desk in a sexual manor and she tells him that the city would love to help him.
Lucious is home and has to sit down due to pain from his ALS. Anika comes in and they talk about Beretti. He tells Anika that he believes Beretti wants to sink Empire's stock market venture. She tells him not to worry and lists their current successes. She shows him pictures of Hakeem and Teyana and Lucious organizes a dinner.
The detectives go to the witness of Bunkie's death, a homeless man named "Old Salty." They ask him some questions but he is incompetent. The detectives leave but are convinced he knows something.
Andre is home when he gets a call from Alvarez and Rhonda hears his conversation. She asks how he managed to persuade Alvarez and he tells her exactly what happened, but instead of Rhonda getting upset, she is actually turned on and asks him to reenact the moment with her.
Hakeem gets a text message from Camilla, asking to meet up. He comes up with an excuse but she replies back, telling him that she’s at the party and he turns around and sees her.
Cookie meets with Agent Carter who shows her pictures of their last meeting, telling her that she is followed by a detective hired by Anika. We find out that Cookie is actually trying to build a case on someone named Frank Gathers and that Lucious is getting in their way and will compromise their case.
Cookie is in one of Empire’s meeting rooms with Carter disguised as a probation officer. Lucious believes their cover. Lucious apologizes to Cookie for attacking her at Bunkie’s Wake. He invites her to a dinner at his home for Hakeem and Teyana.
Cookie finds Puma (Dwayne), an old friend and songwriter, at his horse ranch. He compliments Cookie’s looks and he admits to trying to charm her in the past. She asks him to write a song for her. He tells her he no longer writes, and that he doesn’t want to write for Lucious and calls him a “son of a bitch” for making her go to prison for him. Cookie leaves but Puma calls her back. He tells her he will send her a song.
Cookie gives the song to Jamal where he rewrites it. The song was something Lucious was working on before he got famous.
One of the detectives goes back to see “Old Salty.” He starts talking about a lion in the streets and the detective shows him a photo of Lucious, asking if he’s the lion. Old Salty nods his head and the detective leaves.
At Lucious’ house, everyone is having dinner. Andre tells Lucious that the witness is a paranoid schizophrenic and is unable to reveal anything. Lucious seems happy but puts on a mask in front of Andre, telling him to post a reward for anyone who can come in with information.
Jamal’s boyfriend, Michael, goes to Lucious to thank him for the invite, but Lucious tells him that it was Cookie who invited him and that he should thank her instead.
Anika confronts Cookie for sitting in her seat but she doesn’t get up. Lucious asks Anika to sit next to him instead and she does. Anika tells everyone to eat but Cookie has everyone say grace first. Cookie thanks the blessing for her family and asks God to keep his blessings on “hoes who hire skanks” to follow her.
Cookie calls everyone into the room for Jamal’s performance. Jamal starts singing and Lucious remembers the song. He takes the song from Jamal and wants to give it to John Legend. Jamal tells him to keep the song and that Cookie told him that back in the day Lucious couldn’t make the song work. He asks how it feels that “his little ‘girl’ could do something that you couldn’t.” Jamal and Michael leave, despite Hakeem’s objection. Lucious tells Hakeem that tonight is about a man and his woman, “not some sensitive punk and his bitch.” Cookie tells Lucious that he’s going straight to hell.
Cookie finds Lucious taking some pills that he claims is for hypertension. She tells him he’s afraid of Jamal’s success.
Hakeem is with Camilla, the older woman he’s been with for a year and he calls her his “momma.”
Lucious shows up at Jamal’s place. They talk about his childhood and Lucious’ hatred toward him. Jamal tells Lucious that his “obedience is no longer for sale.” Lucious reminds Jamal that he pays for the apartment and Jamal tells Michael to pack. Jamal later tells Michael that he’s going to take Lucious’ Empire.
This season, the drama continues, the music gets better and Empire has a new enemy, his name is Beretti.
image courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com