Empire
EMPIRE Season Two Finale: Who Plunged To Her Death … Rhonda Or Anika?
Courtesy/FOX
With a very clever play on their season finale promo, “A Lyon will fall”, a member of the family certainly did! They fell all the way to their death! But, who is it? That is the cliffhanger left for viewers of the hit Fox sudser to ponder till next season! If you caught Wednesday night’s season two finale you know that things get off to a bumpy start for Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday) and Anika (Grace Gealey) and tumbled downward from there.
First, Anika warns Lucious (Terrence Howard) the feds are questioning her about his past, but just then Rhonda busts into the home office and starts choking Anika. Rhonda lets it be known that she believes that it is Anika who pushed her down the huge staircase and caused her to lose her baby. Problem is … no one believes Rhonda! Later, Rhonda tells Andre (Trai Byers) he needs him to a commit a murder for her. She is clearly losing it.
Even later, Anika feeling no where to turn and in trouble with the feds tries to jump off the Empire headquarters balcony! But it’s Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) to the rescue who actually talks her down in a unique twist given their relationship.
After a huge bust-up of Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) and Laura’s (Laura Calleros) wedding, Lucious devises a quickly plan to marry Anika so she can’t testify against him with the feds. Cookie is beyond livid and storms off.
Then comes the “quickie” nuptials. Afterwards, Anika takes a moment for herself. She goes to the rooftop to get some air, when Rhonda shows up out of the blue and attacks her, and Anika admits she did push her down the flight of stairs months ago! As the duo have the catfight to end all catfights (a Lee Daniels special), Andre happens upon the scene just as we hear one woman scream, and someone falling to her death.
So, who do you think met their maker … Rhonda, or a pregnant Anika? What did you think of the season two finale of Empire? Let us know!
Rhonda, unfortunately is the character I think they feel is more dispensable. As season finales go, this was a great cliffhanger à la great 1980’s prime time soap cliffhangers.
I agree Joel. .they want that baby drama. .and Ileen Chaiken am EP said in an interview. .you saw how high up they were. .you saw Dre’s reaction so it’s safe to say someone feel and couldn’t possibly have survived it except for the first few minutes of season three. ..watch Andre go off his meds and wreak havoc with his grandmother. ..lmao..Lucious mother telling Lucious..keep squeezing my arm harder and i’ma put my for in your mouth. ..
Someone fell not feel
Foot not for..I need to read before I post sorry
davlestev1 … it’s not your fault…it’s auto spell. Happens to me all the time.
Rhonda is the one who fell. They will NOT kill Anika. They need the drama between Boo Boo Kitty and Cookie. Yes, Andre will go off of his meds. Question: Are we even sure that one of the ladies did the pushing? They want us to believe that it was either Rhonda or Anika. JUST A THOUGHT…. And, we all know that Anika is D-E-A-D after the baby is born. Yayyyy, she is too thristy anyway!!!
I DON’T KNOW… sure they could keep Anika but getting rid of Rhonda seems like a waste of a great character. Anika is one of those characters that seems like she is one note with no real idea behind her. She spent season two and even one as a sideline character with no true direction. Sort of like Claudio, the daughter of the butler, on Dynasty. She was always there but never carried a story and even when given a story never morphed it into something big.
Sure, we don’t know who died as the shooting the week before with Jamal as the victim left us all wondering if he was dead… I mean, the actor even tweated THANK YOU FOR THE TIME on the show which made us believe for a moment he was gone.
If anything, I think that if Rhonda did go over she could be caught clinging to a ledge with Andre grabbing her and bringing her to safety. With that rescue, Anika with the help of Lucious (since he cares only for his own survival, claim Rhonda is nuts and Andre makes the decision to have Rhonda committed.
That said, the show is enjoyable to watch but the stories are soooooo repetitive that nonsensical that I only watch cause there is nothing better on and I do feel entertained. Cookie needs to be TOUGHER and stop getting jealous of Lucious and that character of Lucious needs to be more of a man and not a killer.
And while I am at it, why wasn’t Anika in 72 hour suicide watch? By law… sure this is Empire… anyone who attempts suicide is put into observation IMMEDIATELY. The day before Hakeem’s wedding she attempts to kill herself and then attends the wedding?! DUMB
I thought the whole season was awesome and sure did bring me back to the days of DALLAS and KNOTS LANDING. Television was never the same for me after those nighttime soaps went off the air. Glad to see that someone gave us a new soap that fits this genre!!!
I was surprised that I came away from the final episode feeling as if it was poorly written. Too many new elements and characters were added to move the plot along at the last minute with the thugs from Lucious past life. Rhonda’s reaction in both the first scene and the final were strange. She’s known for weeks about Annika pushing her and yet she made nice at Jamal’s homecoming then in the next scene went bat crazy. I expected more from a Lee Daniels script. There was also nothing of substance between Jama and his new love interest even though Jamal had been shot. And the worst plot point was Fredda’s jail scene and song. She tried to murder Lucious because he killed her father and in a three minute scene she’s persuaded? No..just didn’t work. The previous few episodes were expertly written but not the finale. Still a very good season overall.
Yep, I agree Joel, Rhonda. First, they wouldn’t kill two babies and there’s no way if Anika went over her baby could survive. Second, there’s too much drama to be had beween Cookie and Anika who is now married to Lucious. And then there’s Andre who will be pushed over the edge, no pun intended. They never expanded or featured Rhonda enough. Just when she was following in the footsteps of her in-laws her feet went flyin’ over ‘n’ down instead. Lol…zo sad. (Still, I’m not thrilled they sacrificed her. I liked the bond she and Andre ).Show is way too gangsta. Doesn’t exactly paint a positive image…yet it does draw me in…
Anika is pregnant and involved with the Lions in a betrayal, and she is a bitch now married to Lucious , she will not die ..
goodbye Rhonda …
hey she might survive the fall IF she even fell , perhaps she didn’t go over it was cliffhanger, afterall.
You know what su she may be hanging on something when season 3 starts it’s not impossible
I dont think they’d fake us out on her death twice, AND, they did say one of them was killed.
Sadly, I think it is Rhonda. I really liked her character as she, along with Jamaal, added most of the heart to the show in my opinion. I can’t imagine they’d have Anika marry Luscious and then kill her when there will be so much more Anika/Cookie drama to come. I was hoping they would have Rhonda steak Anika’s baby and run off with her versus offing Rhonda.
Did someone exactly fall? You never really know what’s going on with these networks. One of them could have imagined falling? LOL!
Empire
Jussie Smollett Releases New Rap Single ‘Thank You God’ Speaking On the Injustice of His Court Case
Now that former Empire star, Jussie Smollett (Ex-Jamal Lyon) is out of jail while appealing his conviction for the 2019 Chicago hate crime hoax, in which he was at the epicenter, the singer/actor wasted no time dropping a rap single.
On his Instagram account, Smollett posted a short clip of a new rap song, which speaks about his court case and the injustices brought down upon him by the system.
The track entitled,“Thank You God,” features Smollett rapping lyrics like: “You think I’m stupid enough to kill my reputation?” He also raps, that there will come a day when he can sit down and talk with his followers. He gives a mention to “D.L.” who many believe is CNN anchor, Don Lemon, who was originally one of Smollett’s main advocates.
Jussie served 10 days of jail time of his sentence of 150 days before being released . He also has 30 months of probation ahead of him and was ordered to pay $120,106 to the city of Chicago and a $25,000 fine for his actions.
Smollett says any funds raised for “Thank You God” will be donated to the Illinois Innocence Project, Rainbow Push, Secure The Bag Safety.
Check out Jussie’s Instagram post containing the rap below/
Now let us know, what do you think about Smollett releasing this track and still defending his innocence? Comment below.
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Breaking News
‘Empire’ Star, Jussie Smollett, Sentenced to 150 Days In Jail For Fake Hate Crime Attack
Late Thursday, former Empire actor and singer, Jussie Smollett, was sentenced in Chicago more than three months after being found guilty on five felony counts to the alleged 2019 hate crime hoax that made national headlines, and got the actor fired from the former Fox primetime drama series.
In the sentencing, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days starting immediately. In addition, he received 30 months’ probation, and has to pay the city of Chicago $120,106 in restitution, plus Jussie received an additional $25,000 fine.
Cook County Judge James Linn, who levied the sentence, came down hard in his words on Smollett due his actions noting he was, “selfish, arrogant and narcissistic.” The judge added, “You wanted to make yourself more famous throwing a national pity party for yourself. You’re just a charlatan, pretending to be the victim of a hate crime.”
Linn went in on Smollett for his ‘performance’ and ‘pure perjury’ when the actor took to the witness stand in his own defense last year.
At the end of his sentencing, Smollett pulled down his mask to speak. He then let everyone in the courtroom know that he feels he is innocent, adding, “Your honor, I respect you and I respect the jury, but I did not do this. And I am not suicidal. And if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that.”
Just before he was taken into custody, Smollett yelled again that he was innocent and raised a fist in the air as he exited.
Watch the sentencing of Jussie Smollett below, then weigh-in. Did Smollett get enough of a sentence for his crime? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
Empire
Ex-‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Found Guilty On Five Counts For Hate Crime Hoax
Jussie Smollett (Ex-Jamal Lyon) from Fox’s former primetime soap opera, Empire, was found guilty on Thursday on five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct stemming from making a false report to the Chicago police department that he was the victim of a hate crime.
The actor’s account of the story dates back to 2019 and finally made its way to the Chicago court system for trial.
In the end, a jury of six men and six women deliberated for more than nine hours Wednesday and today to return the verdict after sitting through testimonies of 13 witnesses.
According to reports, Smollett did not look at his family or the judge during the reading of the verdicts on the six counts he was charged instead he looked at the jury members.
Smollett could face up to 3 years in a prison and a $25,000 fine, Judge James Linn will have discretion in imposing a concurrent or consecutive sentence for each count. That will happen at a later date.
Special prosecutor Dan Webb said at a post-verdict news conference: “Mr. Smollett would not have lost this case as he did today unless the jury found that he lied to them. The fact that he came up with a completely ridiculous story to explain his misconduct did not apparently have an impact on the jury’s verdict.”
During the trial brothers, Bola and Ola Osundairo testified that Smollett had paid them to stage the hate crime attack on him in an attempt to get media attention. The brothers testified that they fake punched Smollett, poured bleach on him, put a noose around his neck and used racist and homophobic slurs, because Jussie told them to do so in return for the money.
According to Smollett’s defense team, they will appeal the verdict.
So, what do you think about the guilty verdict for Jussie Smollett? Comment below.
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