'Empire' Season 2 Episode 1 Recap: Terence Howard, Taraji P. Henson's 'The Devils Are Here'

The wait is over as Fox finally airs the Season 2 premiere of Empire. In Episode 1, the music industry will never be the same as Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and Lucious (Terrence Howard) Lyon are back in The Devils Are Here.

At the #FreeLuscious event, Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Y. Gray) isn't excited about performing at the empire. Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) thinks Jamal will understand about the hostile takeover.  Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) tells Cookie that he wants to visit his father in prison, who is being held without bail. During the concert, a man in a gorilla suit is brought down in a cage. The crowd cheers as Cookie unmasks herself and argues justice for all. 

As the crowd chants "How Much Longer?" Reverend Al Sharpton apologizes that he cannot help out with Luscious. Cookie and Porsha (Ta'Rhonda Jones) talk to prominent members hanging out in the crowd as Jamal takes the stage. While in prison, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) refuses to handle the business of a fellow prisoner, because his problem relates to his wife. 

Mimi (Marissa Tomei) flirts around with Cookie but they don't realize the cameras are pointed at them. In the prison yard, Luscious watches the guards bring in Frank (Chris Rock). Luscious starts to remember he made a drug deal with him before. Jamal is surrounded with work that he doesn't realize Andre Lyon (Trai Byers) and Hakeem are mad at him.  

In prison, Jamal lays down all the problems that he's going through to his father. Unfortunately, Luscious doesn't get the name of the woman who was hitting on Cookie before. After Andre has a nightmare about their murder cover-up, Rhonda Lyon (Kaitlin Doubleday) tries to calm him down. She promises the company will be his after the hostile takeover. Rhonda also reveals that she happens to be pregnant.

Frank wants to know who ordered the hit against his boy, which points to Cookie. At the orgy fest, Anika Calhoun (Grace Gealey) joins in on the flirtation with Mimi. Cookie isn't happy with Anika around but she needs her to bring in the money. While Jamal has dinner with his boyfriend, Anika ends up dancing, twerking with Mimi. 

Cookie isn't get her warnings that Frank is coming after her. Luscious meets with the prosecutor, Roxanne, who wants him to plead guilty. Andre walks into the recording studio, telling Hakeem it's finally happening. During Jamal's meeting, Cookie announces the hostile takeover but Mimi has switched sides. From prison, Luscious laughs and tells everyone in the room it's "game over."

Frank finally gets Cookie's name and remembers when Cookie snitched, giving up his name in court. After Jamal and Cookie argue, she realizes her son has become just like his father. Cookie learn from Carol that the roses are really from Frank. Cookie opens a box and finds a decapitated head inside. 

After making a deal with his boyfriends Jamal is back in the recording studio singing. Becky (Gabourey Sidibe) has to force Jamal to answer his mother's call. Cookie warns Jamal he has to run to his father's place and hide there. Cookie reluctantly meets with Luscious in prison, asking him to fix things with Frank. 

As Luscious meets with Frank, Carol reveals to Jamal and the others about Cookie's drug history. Frank has nothing against Luscious but he has to go after Cookie because she's a snitch. Frank gives his men the order to kill but Luscious has them all under his payroll. 

Luscious promises to Take care of Frank's daughter after ordering his death. As Hakeem and Jamal argue, Cookie finally returns home. Jamal then throws out Cookie and his brothers out of the mansion. Cookie then slaps Jamal around before she leaves.  

Readers, what did you think of The Devils Are Here?