Andre is performing, so you know that this is a dream. But, whoa. Trai Byers can SING! He’s been holding this in for all this time?! I demand more! Unfortunately, this isn’t real. Poor Andre is actually in the hospital after his breakdown. The doctor warns Lucious that Andre may suffer permanent brain damage. They have to wait until the drugs are out of his system. The psychiatrist Diana hired had Andre taking those drugs for a while, which led to his psychotic break. Lucious is confident Andre will pull through. He also promises that Diana will “pay dearly” for what she’s done.
Diana is busy preparing for the Captain’s Ball, but she’s scared about someone from Team Lyon slipping in. Angelo isn’t sure the Captain’s Ball should happen at all, especially in the middle of their war with the Lyons. Diana doesn’t think she has anything to worry about. But the Lyons are willing to do whatever it takes to take Diana down. Thirsty tells the Lyons that the security at Diana’s event is locked tight, but Lucious knows just the way in: with music.
Warren comes to see Jamal, using the $10,000 Diana gave him to leave town to pay Jamal’s doorman so he could get upstairs. He tells Jamal that he loves him and wants to give him information about Diana. Jamal brings up Andre. Warren knew what the psychiatrist was doing to Andre, and Jamal can’t forgive Warren for that. “You and every b*tch like you deserves to die,” Jamal says. However, there’s still a glimmer of hope. He still wants that information from Warren.
On the way to take down Diana, Lucious reveals to Cookie that he feels distance between them. He thinks Cookie believes he’s less of a man without his leg. Cookie doesn’t think that at all. They can’t focus on this for too long. They have more important things to take care of — like kidnapping Angelo! They ask him to sign a confession stating that Diana extorted Hakeem and kidnapped Bella. Angelo notes that this confession isn’t going to be admissible in court since he’s signing it under duress. Lucious doesn’t care. He wants to try and reason with Angelo. Lucious knows they have something in common: crazy, controlling moms.
“The only thing we got in common is that we bagged the same b*tch in bed,” Angelo says. Oh, boy. Lucious punches the lights out of Angelo and makes him sign the confession. No one talks about Cookie that way! Lucious and Cookie walk right into the Captain’s Ball with Angelo. They hit the dance floor and blow everyone’s mind. Hakeem and Jamal show up to perform. Diana didn’t have the orchestra go through security, so they easily got in.
Then Cookie gets up on stage and royally embarrasses Diana. Warren comes through for the Lyons and calls his aunt “disgusting” and “vile.” Angelo vows to put Warren down like the “rabid dog he is.” Cookie dubs Diana a “kidnapping, conniving ho” and exposes everything.
Hakeem goes to Anika to get Bella. He tells her that he can easily take her down as an accessory to kidnapping. Anika breaks down in tears. She doesn’t want to lose her daughter. Hakeem knows what it’s like to grow up without a mother and promises Anika that she’ll remain a part of Bella’s life. He’s not going to release the evidence he has against Anika, but he wants her to remember that he has it in his back pocket.
Cookie has Diana arrested for the kidnapping of Bella Lyon. Diana may have won many battles, but Cookie’s won the war. BOOM. Later, Cookie reveals that she’s moving out of Lucious’s house. She wants to start fresh with him.
Angelo finds Warren’s hotel room and pulls a gun on him. Jamal shows up. Angelo pulls the trigger and shoots Warren. In the middle of a fight, Jamal accidentally kills Angelo!
Lucious goes to see Andre after taking down Diana. While sedated, Andre admits he tried to kill Lucious! Before he has time to react, Lucious is stabbed with a needle. He wakes up strapped down to the bed. He’s been kidnapped by Claudia! Empire’s going full Misery on us!
Elsewhere in the episode, Eddie Barker’s ex-wife shows up at Empire to tell him that they’re broke after a Ponzi scheme. Eddie swears he has some ideas on how to handle this. Watch out, Lyons. Eddie may be coming for you guys next. Oh, and Becky’s pregnant!
HollywoodLifers, what did you think of the Empire fall finale? Let us know!