‘Empire’ Season 5, Episode 9 ‘Had It From My Father’ Fall Finale Recap: The Day of Reckoning

Empire just wrapped up with pound-for-pound shock tonight. The fall finale, titled “Had It From My Father,” weaves all the mystery that’s been teased since the premiere episode. The Lyons always had it under control (even when things seemed convoluted even to understand), but tonight saw them brought down on their knees with a not-so brand new dilemma—family.

As the Lyon Family Management begins to pick up on its apparent success, things at Empire come crashing down and takes the Lyons down with it. As Giselle (Nicole Ari Parker) tries to broker a deal with Lucious (Terrence Howard) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) to hand the Empire throne back to them, Kingsley (A.Z. Kelsey) has the most powerful card to play. Meanwhile, the Lyon brothers mend relationships, forge new ones, and loses another in the process.

Here’s what went down on Empire’s fall finale.

The Lyons Rise and Empire Falls

As Lucious and Cookie turn it down for the night, Lucious apologizes for losing it when he found out about Cookie’s condo. The two mend fences to focus on the Lyon Family Management showcase. Meanwhile, since Giselle now has the information about Kingsley’s blood relation to Lucious, she threatens to leak it to the press if Kingsley will not hand Empire over to her. Kingsley agrees, but with a caveat—they have to run it together as co-CEO so they can take the Lyons down.

Matt Dinerstein/FOX

The next day, as Kai (Toby Onwumere exposes Kingsley’s shady deal with law enforcement to sell Empire’s user data, Lucious gloats in victory. Kingsley never saw this coming. Just when he had the upper hand, Lucious comes to snatch the rug from under him. Pej Vahdat (Kelly Patel), who now owns Empire demands an explanation from Giselle and Kingsley. Their partners are balking from what Kai has just reported. As Giselle promises to do damage control, Kingsley swears to find out who dug the deal up.

Meanwhile, Cookie struggles to have a decent rehearsal day for LFM’s showcase. Their artists are clashing, and everything seems to be on the brink of disarray. The Three Black Divas can’t follow the steps, rapper Carlito (Scotty Tovar) is messing up the choreography, and DeVon (Mario Barrett) is complaining about the Lyon brothers’ absence. Cookie then demands that they give their all because how they perform during the night of the showcase will define their future.

Matt Dinerstein/FOX

Back at Empire, Kingsley conducts his investigation and points the finger at Becky (Gabourey Sibide) as the one who leaked the information to Lucious and him having the data investigated on by Kai. But what Kingsley didn’t know is that Becky is indeed working undercover for Lucious, but she knows how to cover her tracks. The email correspondence that Kingsley “discovered” was a fake and done to piss Lucious off. Kingsley then has Becky fired, much to Giselle’s shock.

Thirsty (Andre Royo) brings the news to Lucious, and he loses it. He confronts Kingsley at Empire and beats him to a pulp. Giselle, however, calms Lucious down and is forced to reveal that Kingsley is his son. Lucious then visits Kingsley’s mom, Tracy (Amanda Detmer). There, he remembers that time when he did hang out with her a few times way before Cookie entered the picture. Tracy wakes up and challenges Lucious to deny that Kingsley is his son. Lucious could only stare at Kingsley’s picture in shame.

Matt Dinerstein/FOX

Hakeem Wins Back His Family

After last week’s crazy cliffhanger, we can finally breathe easy. In an effort to have Bella surrender Hakeem’s gun, Lucious urges everyone to stay silent so she won’t get freaked out. Hakeem then serenades his daughter as he slowly takes the gun away from her.

Lucious then confronts Hakeem to tell him that he has to keep his hands clean and be a more responsible father to his kids. Of all the Lyon brothers, Hakeem is the only one with no blood on his conscience. Meanwhile, Cookie tells Tiana (Serayah McNeill) to look after herself and her kids. Never mind Hakeem if he couldn’t keep up.

Later, Hakeem apologizes for everything he’s done to Tiana and the kids and tells her that they have to be better parents. Tiana, on the other hand, accepts his apology but mentions the fact that what they have is not working. The violence and endless fighting need to stop. Consumed with remorse, Hakeem sees Blake (Chet Hanks) and finally makes up with him, eventually ending of their beef.

Jamal Suffers a Loss

On the night before Kai’s exposé, Jamal (Jussie Smollett) chances upon him working tirelessly on the Empire data breach. Kai’s journalistic instincts are in full gear, and Jamal couldn’t help but notice Kai’s determination for the truth. Little did he know that this same belief would lead to a crucial decision about their relationship.

When all the fiasco about Kingsley and the Empire data leak was over, Kai had to do some more digging on Empire’s records. That’s when he uncovered Lucious’ shady dealings back when he was the CEO of Empire. Empire had a roster of artists who had criminal records and engaged in the drug trade, but Lucious buried it all. Kai brought this to Jamal, who’s now wedged between his family again.

Matt Dinerstein/FOX

Despite Jamal’s explanations, though, Kai thinks to expose this is the right thing to do. He also reveals that his editor just gave him a permanent spot on the news program, but he needs to go back to London. And because Kai’s career is also precious for him, he chooses to leave Jamal in the meantime and return to London, asking for space as his job and relationship with Jamal is putting him in a tight spot with regards to his morals and quest for truth.

Andre Finds a New Love

Andre (Trai Byers) escorts Quincy (Skylan Brooks) and his mom, Teri (Meta Golding), back to their home. Quincy is finally free, and Teri couldn’t help but thank Andre for all the work he did to help Quincy. There’s still that overbearing sexual tension between Andre and Teri, but he chooses to distance himself so they won’t be put in danger. Teri tried to invite Andre for her day out with Quincy, but he only gave her a vague confirmation.

During the rehearsal for the LFM showcase, Andre celebrates the big news of Kingsley’s fiasco. When Teri tried to call Andre up, Lucious notices that Andre is torn up inside. When Lucious asks about Teri, Andre says that he couldn’t bring himself to love someone who’s bound to get hurt because of him. Lucious then tells him to give himself the benefit of the doubt and stop overthinking things about his relationships.

The next day, Andre shows up at Quincy and Teri’s mini-date. Andre decides to confess his feelings for Teri, which she also feels the same way. Andre asks her if she’s willing to take the risk of loving a dangerous man like him, and Teri seals it with a kiss.

The Day of Reckoning

Lucious returns to the LFM showcase after visiting Tracy. He tries to tell Cookie about it, but she has none of it as the showcase will start in a few minutes. Lucious momentarily forgets about the Kingsley thing when all the LFM artists give it their all to impress the investors and partners. It’s looking good for LFM, because Nike, LiveNation, and Apple have already agreed to partner with them for $30-40 million.

Matt Dinerstein/FOX

In the middle of the performance, Giselle gatecrashes the party to offer Lucious and Cookie a deal—take over Empire with Giselle as co-CEO so they can finally get rid of Kingsley. Lucious and Cookie talk about the deal backstage. Lucious is for Giselle’s offer, but Cookie wants to start it fresh with LFM. She even sold her condo to add to their business. Cookie wants to start a management company and a new label. So Lucious decides to tell Cookie about Kingsley but is cut short for their final speech after the showcase.

As Cookie and Lucious close the show, a bloodied Kingsley appears and reveals that Lucious is his father. One by one, the Lyon brothers and Cookie walk out, leaving Lucious to deal with his surprise son alone. Andre, however, is furious and comes up to Kingsley, threatening to end him.

Matt Dinerstein/FOX

The episode ends with a three-month time jump. Cookie and Lucious rush one of their sons to the hospital. There’s no pulse, and while the doctors try their best to revive him, it’s revealed to be Andre.

‘Empire: Had It From My Father’ Fall Finale Overall Verdict

“Had It From My Father” does take you out of your sanity and achieves a level of shock that only Empire is known for. With every relationship rebuilding and starting comes the end of something more dear to the Lyons. While Kingsley was a weak character in the previous episodes, tonight showed him at his peak—a force that could bring the Lyon family down, seeing how he is technically one of their own.

What does this cost Lucious and Cookie? Is Andre the first Lyon to be taken out? Is he the one in the coffin that Lucious was shown to be mourning over? It looks like Empire season five is teasing a major shift of power and family status, one where Lucious will sadly be the last Lyon standing.

Empire returns this spring on FOX. Watch the preview below: