'Empire' Season 4, Episode 6 'Fortune Be Not Crost' Recap: Blood is Thicker Than Lies [SPOILERS]

“Empire’s” latest episode, titled “Fortune Not Be Crost,” shows the Lyons standing together for Hakeem (Bryshere ‘Yazz’ Gray) and Anika’s (Grace Byers) custody hearing. But the court hearing becomes a witch hunt when Angelo Dubois starts throwing mud at the Lyon’s reputations. The Dubois family has always been an adversary against the Lyons, and they will do just about anything to drag them down. Afraid the rivalry will ruin his case, Hakeem does something unexpected in hopes of keeping Bella. Meanwhile, Andre (Trai Byers) gets a new therapist to help him understand his feelings for Pamela.

In ‘Empire’ Court Day is a Family Gathering

Before the court hearing, Hakeem was ready to board a plane and take off with his daughter. But Tiana (Serayah) told Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) about his plans. She was able to convince him to fight for Bella and that there is no chance Anika will take her away again. The moment he stepped into court, Hakeem already wished he boarded that plane. Cookie tried to mend things with Angelo but it looks like the bad blood between two families is strong. He is not only taking the case to get custody but also to reveal the Lyon’s dirty laundry.

Hakeem’s court hearing was a media spectacle for the Royal Family of music in “Empire.” But the judge wasn’t too kind to the media and Hakeem’s supporters in court. Hakeem’s family is confident he will win because he is indeed a good father. But nothing prepared them for Angelo’s opening testimony. He called Hakeem a wanna-be playboy rapper who poses a danger to Bella, while Anika has a loving and stable home fit for raising a child. Hakeem and Anika both take the stand, mentioning each of their own mistakes as a parent. Hakeem reassures the court that he has changed and has always been a caring father to Bella. Meanwhile, Anika tried to tug at their heartstrings by telling everyone she only wants to get to know her daughter. All she wants is to be a good mother, despite being charged with murder.
We see a montage of the testimonies of those close to both Hakeem and Anika. Each giving a reason why the other is a better parent than the other. In between each of the character’s testimonies was Cookie giving her own commentary, which the judge wasn’t too happy about. She tells Cookie if she doesn’t keep quiet she can leave. Next on the stand was Tiana, who Angelo attacks with questions about drugs and threesomes. The judge then called for an immediate recess.

Cookie and Lucious Gets Called Out In Court

Instead of worrying about his girlfriend, Hakeem is furious at Tiana for not being strong enough. She tries to understand him, but it’s the stress of losing Bella that made her walk away before Hakeem had any more things to say. He was afraid of losing Bella enough to take it on the people he loves. Because once court started again, Angelo is refreshed and ready to show his fangs. It’s Cookie’s turn to take the stand where her testimony brought people to tears. She tells the court about how she had to raise her children while in jail and wished she could be there for them. She mentioned how Hakeem is a better parent to Bella than Cookie ever was for him.
But this trial was more of a witchhunt rather than a custody hearing because Angelo didn’t buy Cookie’s sob story. Instead, he used it against her. He mentions her violent past in prison and how much she hated Anika. He even calls Cookie and Lucious the “Bonnie and Clyde of Hip-hop,” even adding salt to the wound by accusing Cookie of abuse. But this didn’t break Cookie. Instead, she took it as an opportunity to spill some tea about Anika’s past. She mentioned Anika’s suicide attempt asking Cookie to take care of Bella. Angelo continues to get a rise out of Cookie, but it was Hakeem who ended up screaming in court.

In spite of everyone’s wishes, Hakeem allows Lucious (Terrence Howard) to take the stand. He was able to say a moving testimony that left Angelo confused and blindsided. When it looks like everything will end happily, Hakeem decides to fire his lawyer. Shocking everyone, he plans to represent himself instead to prove he is a better parent than Anika. He places Anika on the stand asking basic questions about their daughter. Hakeem wasn’t surprised Anika couldn’t answer any of them.  The judge calls for another recess.

Plans to take The Lyons Down

There’s no win for Hakeem when Angelo decided to call his mother, Diane. Cookie was shocked to see an old friend ready to turn on her. Angelo calls her to the stand where she reveals she has been visiting Hakeem and Bella every Tuesday for the last five months. She even brought video proof of their meetings. She doesn’t deny Hakeem is a good father but the videos prove Bella shouldn’t be around his family. In the videos, Hakeem tells Diane everything he hates about his family. Jamal’s pills, Andre’s condition, and Cookie and Lucious sketchy business. The court ended up ruling in favor of Anika.

But that’s not the only thing the Dubois family has in store for the Lyons. Andre has been seeing a new therapist, who gives him new prescriptions. Little does Andrew know his new therapist is friends with the Dubois, which was revealed later on when the Dubois and Anika sat down for a victory dinner. Andre’s therapist walks in and tells them about Andre’s new prescriptions. Time will tell what’s going to happen to Andre and his meds. Meanwhile, Lucious isn’t backing down and is determined to get Bella back for Hakeem. “Empire” is building up a brawl between the feuding families, and it’s surely going to be a bloodbath.
“Empire” continues next Wednesday with “The Lady Doth Protest,” 8/9c on FOX.