"Empire" fans were left with their jaws on the floor in the final moments of episode 5, "Be True." While going for a run, Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) was grabbed by a group of thugs who are looking to extort money out of Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) because the street believes they have money thanks to their new label, Lyon Dynasty. Showrunner Ilene Chaiken said the people behind the kidnapping might be familiar. Could it be Lucious (Terrence Howard) and his corrupt lawyer, Thirsty (Andre Royo)?
In an interview with Variety, Chaiken said fans will have to "wait until episode 6 to find out" if Lucious and Thirsty are somehow involved in Hakeem getting kidnapped. Episode 5 revealed that Thirsty had sent two people to Lyon Dynasty to bug the place and steal Cookie's masters, so it's very possible he could have had someone take Hakeem.
"It’s got a trade term -- it’s called a snatch-and-grab. It happens in the music business, in all kinds of celebrity business, but particularly in the hip-hop business. It really is the story in episode 6, but the issue of whether or not Lucious and Thirsty have something to do with it is key to the story," Chaiken dished.
Chaiken added that Thirsty and Lucious may have also had a hand in Tiana (Serayah) getting mugged. She said although Lucious may not necessarily tell Thirsty what to do, Thirsty knows what he has to do to stay on Lucious' good side.
"Rather like 'The Godfather,' Lucious makes clear what he wants to accomplish -- he makes clear the results he needs. He doesn’t have to know what his minions are doing to get him those results. But they know that he intends for them to do whatever they need to do," Chaiken said.
Royo told The Hollywood Reporter the dynamic between Lucious and Thirsty has been working really well because both characters were raised on the streets. He said one of the main things he knows about his character is the loyalty Thirsty has for Lucious.
"We both came up with these ideas that we were not supposed to make it, or not supposed to make it at this level. I think that admiration and respect -- it shows between me and Lucious. Lucious hasn't had anybody outside of his family that he could look eye to eye with and know that there's a certain connection that they share that's from the streets of hard knocks," Royo said.
Despite his possible involvement, Lucious will be teaming up with Cookie to find Hakeem in episode 6, titled "A High Hope For A Low Heaven." In the promo video, Lucious tells Cookie he had nothing to do with Hakeem getting grabbed and seems headstrong on finding whoever it is that took his youngest son. Jamal (Jussie Smollett) will try to help his family too, but Lucious and Cookie ask him to keep out of it so he doesn't get snatched too.
Watch the episode 6 promo below
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