This was definitely a filler episode of Empire, but those are okay every once in a while. We still got some valuable information and you can tell that the next few episodes will pick up quickly.
Camila has died after ingesting whatever was in that bottle that did not look like the cough syrup my mom used to give me when I had scarlet fever as a kid. To honor her, a memorial service is held at Empire headquarters, where Hakeem announces that Antony and Cleopatra, the last project Camila worked on prior to her passing, would continue with Rhonda as creative director. We also learn that Andre is on the mend after re-calibrating his medication and after her accident, Rhonda wants them to move out of the mansion Lucious gifted them.
The scene cuts to Lucious sitting in his chair in what is now Hakeem's office. Lucious congratulates Hakeem for using a sex tape to get rid of Camila and says that if Hakeem hadn't killed her, Empire would still be under her thumb. Hakeem angrily screams that he didn't kill her. Cookie shuts down the argument and instructs Lucious to continue working on his music video for "Boom Boom Boom Boom" and for Jamal to continue working on his Black and White album. She also reminds the gentlemen that her first birthday as a free woman is that Sunday and ever-so-optimistically requests a drama-free happy birthday dinner--because nothing could possibly go wrong with that request.
Lucious visits Philadelphia to scout locations for his music video. He goes to the house he slept at the first few nights after he ran away and marvels at how it hasn't changed. When Cookie asks about Lucious' mother, he dodges the question. Cookie admonishes Lucious once again to tell his whole truth in his video.
Meanwhile, there is trouble on tour with Tiana and Mirage a Trois. At their stop in Boston, Laura and the rest of MaT are cutting into Tiana's set once again and Tiana threatens to pull the plug on their show if they do it again at their next stop in D.C.
Jamal and Hakeem make their own pilgrimage to Philly to ask Freda Gathers to rap on their new record. After an impromptu cypher with some neighborhood kids, the guys find Freda, who refuses to appear on their record and reiterates her loyalty to Lucious despite their warnings that he will turn on her eventually, too. Back at Lyon Dynasty, as Lucious and Cookie attempt to cast parts for Lucious' video, Lucious continues to have flashbacks of his mother.
Jamal struggles to write his new song without Freda's verse, even though Hakeem attempts to give him some pointers. Becky rushes in to tell Hakeem that Tiana is threatening to leave the tour because of Laura and MaT's antics. Hakeem agrees to go down to D.C. to talk to the girls. He gets Laura to agree to back off a bit, while Tiana concedes to letting Laura extend her set a bit in smaller cities. But Tiana gets upset after seeing Hakeem and Laura kiss in Laura's dressing room.
Cookie tries to prepare her birthday dinner (with some misguided help from Porsha) while also trying to find out more about Lucious and his mother. Jamal becomes suspicious of the amount of time Cookie is spending with Lucious producing his video and also reveals that he may not be coming to her birthday dinner.
Lucious continues organizing his video shoot. As he is coaching, the boy who will play Lucious as a child, Freda, walks into the video shoot. Lucious pulls Freda aside and reveals that he cut her verse from the song. Freda goes to find Jamal and records with him instead.
As Lucious prepares to shoot his video, he realizes that Cookie has brought his past to life and continues to have flashbacks. He tries to tell Cookie that something is still wrong with the scene as Cookie ushers him off the set.
Hakeem meets Laura's family, who thank him for discovering her and giving her a career. Hakeem admires Laura's family, specifically Laura's father's pride in her, and marvels at how loving they are with one another.
Lucious finally opens up to Cookie about his mother. He reveals that she nearly drowned him in the bathtub in an attempt to cleanse him during a mental break. She was so horrified at what she had done that she shot herself in the head in front of him. Lucious reveals that it was Frank Gathers who took him under his wing when he ran out into the streets. Cookie is briefly horrified but rationalizes that killing Frank was the right thing to do. She once again insists that Lucious tell his whole truth this time because she did 17 years for a man whose real name she didn't know. The music video filming resumes but it becomes obvious that the child playing Lucious is scared. After a pep talk from Cookie, however, filming starts up again.
Back on tour, Hakeem premieres a new song with Tiana and Laura and it becomes clear that the two are at odds. The next day on Cookie's birthday, Jamal brings Cookie flowers before announcing that he won't be at her birthday dinner in an effort to avoid Lucious. Cookie says it is unfair that she is being forced to choose between her sons and Lucious and settles for a quiet dinner with Lucious. Jamal realizes that Cookie is falling for Lucious and Cookie informs him that what they have is too deep to just be cast aside due to "a few misunderstandings."
Cookie shows up to her birthday dinner with Lucious and is disappointed until he reveals that her whole family is there to celebrate with her. Things go swimmingly until Cookie decides to premiere Lucious' new video to the family. While watching the video, Andre realizes that his grandmother's behavior is very similar to his own and asks Lucious if she was bipolar. Lucious initially tries to make excuses before admitting that he was embarrassed by his mother, who he calls a "nut job," and that he is embarrassed by Andre, too. Andre storms out (without Rhonda...smooth).
Hakeem leaves his family to go be with Laura after her concert and asks her to marry him. She accepts.
Rhonda hitches a ride with none other than Boo Boo Kitty.
Thankfully, sans the wig.
Rhonda tells Boo Boo Kitty about the fight at Lucious' and admits that she is reaching her breaking point.
The next day at the recording studio, Cookie chastises Hakeem for getting engaged. Freda arrives to record her verse. During recording Freda name drops her father, Frank Gathers, which causes Cookie to flee the studio in a panic.