“I’m glad you have the church to lean on, Teri. I don’t feel the same way about God that you do,” Andre admits in this EXCLUSIVE preview of the April 17 episode of Empire. Teri doesn’t think Andre believes in God, but that’s not exactly the case. “I believe in God. In fact, many lifetimes ago, me and God were boys,” Andre continues. Teri asks Andre what happened.
“I loved him. He repaid that love with punishment time and time again,” Andre says. Teri believes God doesn’t punish, he tests people. Andre stresses that it was more than a test. “This was personal,” Andre replies. “God took my wife. God took my son. There’s nothing that God can do for me because I don’t want nothing to do with God. Teri, you’re going to have to accept that.” Teri refuses to do that.
Andre has been to hell and back in his past. Andre was lost after Rhonda and his son died. Rhonda lost their baby after Anika pushed her down the stairs at the end of the first season. When Rhonda confronted Anika about it in the season 2 finale, they got into a nasty fight that resulted in Rhonda being thrown to her death off a balcony. After that, Andre has had an on-again, off-again relationship with God. Now Andre’s got stage 4 cancer, so his faith continues to dwindle. But Teri’s not giving up.
The April 17 episode will also feature Kingsley seeking the truth about what really happened between Lucious and his mother. Cookie will face the truth about her relationship with Damon Cross and Jamal reaches an understanding with Kai. Empire season 5 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on FOX.