"Empire" (Fox)

The episode started out with a celebration that Lucious (Terrence Howard) is officially a free man with no charges against him. Thirsty (Andre Royo) has pretty much taken up the role as the new Vernon along with still being Lucious’ lawyer. Andre (Trai Byers) also makes his return to the company as the CFO and Lucious has put him in charge of his own label within Empire.

Jamal (Jussie Smollett) is getting back to recording music with his dad helping him along the way. Jamal is able to work with Ne-Yo on some new songs and the two also plan out some dates to go on tour together. As Jamal prepares for his tour, Lucious tells him to not bring his boyfriend Michael (Rafael de la Fuente) because it will just be a distraction. Their relationship has always been on thin ice, but this just causes more problems.

Andre is glad to be back at the company, but he also has some other business to take care of. He is still very much a spiritual man and he wants to take the next step and get baptized. Before he can get baptized, however, his reverend tells him that he must admit his sins to his family. Safe to say that he won’t be telling them that he killed Vernon.  

Back at Lyon Dyansty, Tiana (Serayah) is mugged and has her purse stolen by some random thugs. These people then post a video with masks on and warn Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and her company that they’re coming for them.

Jamal and Michael hang out at a club with the photographer from Jamal’s Rolling Stone shoot and he even tries to hook up with Jamal when Michael is not around. More on this later.

Andre does not like the fact that Thirsty is hanging around the company so much and he tells him to leave and that he never wants him around unless Lucious is there with him.

Ne-Yo gives Jamal some advice about his relationship on the road and then the two go on to make a beautiful song. If only everything were that simple on this show.

Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) is still trying to get his all-girl group started and he finally has a new lead singer named Laura (Jamila Velazquez). However, he gets a little too touchy and she walks out on him because she is only there for the music, not for the fame and relationship with Hakeem.

Cookie also seems to have a new love interest. She hired a new concert promoter for her company, Laz Delgado (Adam Rodriguez), and he even helps save her company. While the two are having a meeting, they hear noise in another room and they find two guys trying to steal all of Dynasty’s tracks. They get the thieves to reveal that it was Thirsty who sent them before they let them go.

Jamal throws a party at his apartment and all is going well until he catches Michael cheating on him with the "Rolling Stones" photographer. So, will Michael be going on tour?

In preparation for his baptism, Andre meets with his younger brothers and tells them that it was his fault for almost getting Jamal killed in the first season. They forgive their older brother and agree to go to his baptism because they want the family back together. The convincing does not go as well with Lucious however. Lucious doesn't believe in God and thus, will not support his son being baptized.

Before the baptism, Hakeem goes to find Laura and apologizes for coming on too strong. He really cares about her and she forgives him and agrees to come back to the company.

As everyone is preparing for Andre’s service, Lucious is in the studio recording with his new artist Frida (Bre-Z Murphy). She raps about her dead father and Lucious clearly sees the impact that a father can have, and decides to go to Andre’s service. He spends the whole time arguing with Cookie and then gets up and leave. As Andre is being baptized, Lucious has a flashback to when his mother forcibliy ducked him under water multiple times. Every time that we see a flashback from Lucious, it's during a moment with Andre.

The episode ends with Hakeem going on a run through the park when all of a sudden he is kidnapped and thrown into a van. Would Lucious and Thirsty really kidnap his own son for the benefit of a company? Or is this a bigger threat to the Lyon family in general?

Watch “Empire” Wednesdays at 9 on Fox.

Reach Staff Reporter Noah Camarena here and follow him on Twitter here.