We’ve reached the midway mark of Empire’s second season and just like the first season we were left with a cliffhanger centering on Luscious Lyon’s tenuous grip on his company.

Throughout these first 10 episodes of the show’s sophomore set, we’ve seen Lucious come back roaring from prison to reclaim his throne, beat the feds, take down Cookie’s would-be suitor and strong-arm his way into a merger to secure a streaming service. Not a bad second act. But the mighty mogul underestimated one foe, his son.

After scoring an American Sound Awards nomination, Lucious was on top of the world, but that feeling wouldn’t last. Mimi Whiteman proved to be more enemy than friend and used the head Lyon’s words against him in order to oust him with the board. Cookie, of course, wasn’t having that and after being told about the impending vote by Andre, she convinced Hakeem that while Lyon Dynasty was their company, Empire is their legacy. And anyone that tries to take that away is their enemy.

Hakeem, meet mirror; mirror, Hakeem.

How could the family know the young Lyon would be the one to turn their back on the family by being the final vote to kick Lucious to the curb.

There’s a lot to discuss in our Empire podcast, but first let’s make sure Anika is nowhere near the stairs while we walk down.