Empire Season 2, Episode 2 recap: A dynasty emerges 'Without a Country'

Trade cautiously if you have not watched the second episode of season two of the Fox drama Empire. Spoilers Ahead!

Cookie Lyon (Taraji P Henmson) is not afraid of what will happen after Jamal (Jussie Smollette) foils their plans of a hostile take over. Cookie knows what will happen after Lucious (Terence Howard) gets out of jail and that is what she is afraid of.

Named 'Without a Country,' the episode starts with the co-conspirators being thrown out of Empire and on their way to start a company of their own. The promising start and the inter-cut montage packs a promise that Cookie will start from scratch and get back at Lucious. By the end of the episode, she comes to know the getting back part is not as smooth sailing. 

In the prison, we have new guest actor Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, who is working for the public prosecutor, playing tough guy and pressuring Lucious to surrender. Withholding the medication, disrupting the impromptu rap session, and later the solitary confinement seemed a little cartoonish, given the stature of Lucious Lyon. The courtroom drama in the end, though over the top, shows how resourceful the new lawyer, Thirsty Rawlings (Andre Royo) can be. Question one, why does the owner of Empire need this shady lawyer when he can get the best one available in the market?

On the other hand, the infighting still continues. Cookie tries to get Jamal to release Hakeem's embargoed album to her company. Hakeem is busy putting together a girl band with no success in getting Tiana on-board, currently the star of that unnamed company. Question two, why is Tiana still part of the plot? The song she is singing is not doing anything for me, the clothes, which I think came from the latest collection by Kanye West for Adidas, are plain torture to the eyes.   

Jamal is trying to get Hakeem to stay with Empire as the order has come from papa in jail. But now badly hurt Hakeem is not having it no matter how much Jamal is luring him in with the brother bonding and creativity. Hakeem leaks the album online and Cookie looks at the boy with proud eyes. MBA Andre is just fed up of the way Cookie and Hakeem are trying to start the company. He makes a run for pop and asks for forgiveness. His wife Rhonda on the other hand, is already talking to Jamal to let Andre come back. Question three, why did that have to be a secret meeting if they both want the same thing?

At the end of the episode, Lucious is free and now has Jamal at his side. Cookie has started Lyon Dynasty Records with Hakeem. We don't know why Andre's fate hangs in balance.

Next, let's talk about the dazzling guest star list. In episode one, we had Chris Rock and Marisa Tomei play some kickass characters. We will surely see more of Tomei as the season progresses. This episode brought in Ludacris trying to be tough and failing at it. The biggest shock came when in Lucious' flashback, we see him cradled by his mother singing 'Itsy-Bitsy spider' to him. The mother is former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland. Kelly is there for only a couple of seconds, but those seconds promised more Kelly and a deeper understanding of Lucious' upbringing.

Meanwhile, the music is improving since Ne-Yo came on board. Smollette got to sing two beautiful songs, which actually showcase his vocal strength. Terence Howard fails to convince us with his singing, but surprisingly his song is the best one in the episode!

To sum up, in the next episode you should keep an eye on the following -

Does Andre's bipolar disorder come from Lucious' mother and is this why Lucious won't show him mercy?

Why has Cookie switched to Hakeem after pinning her hopes on Jamal in all of the first season? Why is she not fighting for him?

What is Rhonda up to?

Lucious has made it clear that he loves and hates Cookie with the same intensity. All I am looking forward to in the next episode is how he will take on the hostile take over squad.