Whos Jamals new boyfriend?
Why is Phylicia Rashad talking to Hakeem?
Amnesia-stricken Lucious feels like a completely different person: Hes soft and innocent, in a way.
Credit: Chuck Hodes/FOX
We open at Empires 20th anniversary celebration at Leviticus, which theyre modeling afterMotowns famous 25th anniversary TV special.
Cookie and her sons are filming their interviews backstage.
As she walks away, he tells Cookie, I dont know who that was.
(Neither did any of the viewers, Lucious.)
Get me out of here!
Cut to 24 hours earlier.
Andre tried to cancel it at the last minute, but Shine didnt call it off.)
Apparently Giuliana had been on the run, but the police are getting ready to bring her in.
Later, Andre confronts Shine about why the police arestillinvestigating.
Someone must be talking, right?
Over at Hakeems, his playboy paradise apartment has been transformed just slightly into a child-friendly place.
By this I just mean there are diapers and burping cloths all over his pool table.
I mean, will it?
Its not great, but theyre literally just visits.
Although I dont think Jamalknowshes Angelos cousin, right?
Jamal seems smitten and has apparently been leaving things at Warrens apartment as excuses to see him again.
It would be cute…if we didnt know Mrs. DuBois was controlling Warrens puppet strings.
But Mrs. D makes it clear she doesnt care about that.
I will pick the meat from their bones as she watches helplessly, she purrs.
Clair Huxtable, is that really you?!
Finally, its time for Lucious grand entrance.
And hes a completely different person.
Claudia insists the family call him Dwight.
Thats not me, he says.
I dont even know who that is.
Hearing it seemingly for the first time now, Lucious hates his violent rap music.
Are all my songs this violent and hateful?
Why would I write something like this?
Okay, youve got 30 minutes to pack your bags and kick rocks, bitch, she says.
Claudia says its just transference, but Cookie isnt buying it.
Later, Cookie and Lucious have a sweet conversation in the kitchen.
She brings up that night in Vegas: You gave me everything Id ever wanted that night.
I know you dont remember…
But he tells her she can tell him all about it.
Did I do something to make this happen to me?
Cookie tells him he saved her life.
He did a good thing, and thats why this happened to him.
That night at dinner, Lucious tries to reconnect with his family.
Jamal asks why he assumes its a him, but then confirms it and says hes taking it slow.
So is no-memory Dwight a far more tolerant, non-homophobic person compared to Lucious?
Everything about this new guy seems…nice!
He asks Jamal why take it slow if its love?
Then he starts talking about his music again, and how much it gives him a headache.
All but one sweet love song.
But thats not right!
How did that make you feel, not getting credit for what you did?
Who is this person?!?!
Were limited to a shallow well of pleasant memories, Andre sneers.
and that old Lucious would never hop around on one leg like the Lucious of today.
They catch him before he goes in, and everyone apologizes and says he doesnt have to remember anything.
You keep trying to tell me who Im supposed to be and you dont even like yourselves!
Im stuck here in this place in the dark and Im confused!
Fast forward to the next day, during Luciouss next freak-out at the Empire 20 celebration.
Focus on whats real…. You survived an explosion.
(I cracked up.)
Eventually though, he does.
And he seems just like his old self, shouting, To the Empire!
Is everything going to be okay after all?
The guy whos supposedly so good at his job that people dont know who he is.
The guy Andre thinks might have talked.
Ill call you back, he tells Andre.
So yeah…everything probablyisntgoing to be okay.
After the crowd vacates Leviticus, Cookie and Lucious stand alone on the empty stage.
That was perfect, Cookie says.
That wasnt me, Lucious responds, back to his softer and slightly dazed new tone of voice.
I was faking, just like you and I practiced last night.
Cookie says hes still in there somewhere, and Lucious just says sadly that he wishes he could remember.
He calls for Claudia to take him home (ugh), but Cookie gets the last word.
Lucious, you gon remember me.
Im Cookie Lyon, baby.
