Empire Season 4, Episode 8 'Cupid Painted Blind' Recap: A Mind and Heart Gone Wary [SPOILERS]

When a family is in crisis, they help each other pick themselves back up again. “Empire” has the Lyons with their claws out for anyone who is coming after them, especially when the Dubois family are ready to drag them into the mud. With the baby-snatching and assault charges, who knows what the Dubious will throw at the Lyons next. Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and Lucious (Terrence Howard) decided to split up the work to foil the Dubois’ plans. Meanwhile, their children are trying to get their lives back on track. Season 4, episode 8, titled “Cupid Painted Blind,” has two families ready to cut each other’s throats by any means necessary.

Guidance for Jamal and Hakeem

The episode opened with a staged intervention for Jamal (Jussie Smollett). After punching his boyfriend, Warren, for working with the Dubois, Jamal is facing assault charges—but that’s the least of their problems. Ever since finding out they have a target on their backs, they need to know who else is working with the Dubois. “Empire” will fall apart if the Lyons does.  The family confronts Andre (Trai Byers) if he has been seeing anyone new. They are only taking extra precautions to make sure no one destroys their family again.

Cookie, Lucious, and Thirsty (Andre Royo) decide to take the lead. So Jamal and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) have to pick up the pieces broken by the Dubois. Filled with rage over losing his daughter, Hakeem takes his temper out on Tiana (Serayah). While she was working on a new track with Shine, Hakeem walks in insulting her right to her face. Shine decides Hakeem needs a little guidance. Shine takes Hakeem to the suburbs. There Hakeem meets Shine’s children and three of his baby mothers. Shine wants to show Hakeem he can work out his issues no matter the circumstance. Shine was able to inspire Hakeem to learn how to make a compromise with Anika if Hakeem wants to see Bella every again. Hakeem even went over to Anika’s apartment to talk about their situation., but was disappointed when he found out Anika moved in with Angelo.
Meanwhile, Jamal is drinking again as he reminisces about his relationship with Warren. He was listening to the track he and Warren recorded. Lucky for him, Hakeem walks in to help his brother fix the tainted track. The two brothers ended up making a song filled with so much rage and heartache. The only guidance these boys need is music.

Andre is slowly losing it on ‘Empire.’

Because of his false medication, Andre’s paranoia is acting up again. He meets up with his girlfriend Pamela (Teyonah Parris) to ask if she was working with the Dubois. Angry at the accusation, Pamela reminds Andre of her darkest secret she shared with him last week. But Andre’s apology wasn’t enough for Pamela to stay. His temper started to get the better of him. He suddenly broke down in front of the cafe and luckily Thirsty was there to witness it, calling Lucious immediately. Worried about his son’s mental health, Lucious asks what caused Andre to lose his temper. He then admits he has been seeing a woman named Pamela Rose. Andre tells them that he didn’t tell his parents about here because she was a cop. Lucious then asks Thirsty to find out what he can about this Pamela woman.

Meanwhile, Cookie needs a little information of her own. After finding out Warren isn’t out and about with the Dubois, she decides to visit him. A mother’s rage is as intense as her love for her children, as seen in her prison flashbacks. She comes into Warren’s room with a gun in hand. There’s nothing like a gun to intimidate a person for information. Luckily she never got to use it because Warren is in love with Jamal. He is more than willing to tell her everything the Dubois are planning to take “Empire” down. He also reveals Andre’s psychiatrist and medication.

A mirage, a breakdown, and a crime confessed

Cookie and Lucious tell Andre his compromised medication and therapy sessions. This makes him feel relieved and uneasy. Andre calls Pamela to apologize again. And like magic, she was already at the door. The two talk about their past crimes, and we finally know who placed the bomb in Lucious car. Andre tells Pamela he tried to kill his father. And then things start to get crazy from here. Pamela then tells Andre she is an undercover cop from Las Vegas and has been waiting for Andre’s confession. Afraid to got to jail; he shoots Pamela out of bitter rage.

Meanwhile, Thirsty informs Cookie and Lucious that “Pamela Rose” doesn’t exist. The two then rush over to Andre’s hoping they can save him from being played by the Dubois. But nothing can prepare them for what happens next. He tells his parents he killed his girlfriend Pamela, and when they looked around, there wasn’t a body in sight. Then we see the montage of all of Andre’s moments with Pamela. We find out she was only a hallucination caused by the new medication given by his psychiatrist.
It was a phenomenal performance by Trai Byers but a sad story arc for Andre.  He perfectly captured Andre’s mental state and heartbreaking reaction. Whatever the Dubois are planning, they’ve gone too far. It’s one thing taking custody of a child and initiating an assault. It’s another to mess with Andre’s mental health.
The Lyons are going to hit back harder for hurting one of their own.
“Empire” continues next Wednesday with “Slave to Memory,” 8/9c on FOX.