By Michael Slezak / November 4 2015, 6:57 PM PST

“Cowboy, just just just Take Me Away” is not only a winner because of the Dixie Chicks, it might additionally make a truly good alternative name for Season 2, Episode 6 of Empire.

Except, this is simply not a whole story about resting for a pillow of bluebonnets, in a blanket made from stars. equestrian online dating Nope, the subjects with this story have actually longhorn bulls crudely tattooed between their shoulder blades — and their undercover leader, Adam Rodriguez’s Laz Delgado, has not simply infiltrated Lyon Dynasty documents, but additionally Cookie Lyon’s heart.

You realize when our woman fundamentally understands that Laz was the main one behind Hakeem’s abduction and brutalization, she’ll make her typical strategies look like butterfly kisses. Oh, and she is positively, favorably planning to call him “bitch.” (the only real real question is what amount of times she will drop the b-bomb on their lying, sorry ass.)

But until that delicious comeuppance comes, let us recap the action from “A High a cure for a Low Heaven.”

HAKEEM’S BACK… OR IS HE? | Lucious and Cookie negotiate Hakeem’s release from his captors using $40,000 in cash, but the traumatized youngest Lyon takes their busted-up attention and badly damaged psyche straight to the entranceway of… Boo Boo Kitty! He kisses her like he is attempting to show his manhood, plus it renders me personally wondering if he endured intimate attack during their captivity. (Am I overthinking here, or did you’ve got that unexpected, horrifying idea, too?) right straight straight Back at Lyon HQ, he blames Lucious and Cookie for just what happened to him, though if they’re to be culpable for the popularity that is put a target on their straight back, should never he also thank them for the fame in as well as it self?

Hakeem spirals into a very nearly hallucinatory state as he rehearses for a large performance along with his Latina woman team, but behind the scenes, Lucious is negotiating with Cookie to allow their son get back to the Empire label — although she actually is not invited along for the trip. “You ain’t an employer, Lucious. You a busta,” she seethes — but quietly concedes he is a busta with good wine, since she exits not just together with her ex’s cup, but additionally their entire damn bottle. ( Note: Lucious couldn’t try to question even the Lyon Matriarch’s employer status — perhaps perhaps maybe not with an exit like that.)

At ex-cop Laz’s recommendation, Cookie creates a conference aided by the kidnappers, utilizing the possibility of employing them as protection information or at the least paying them down — and figures she can destroy two wild birds with one rock by bringing along Hakeem to reconstruct their confidence. All of it goes laterally whenever Hakeem pulls a weapon and threatens to shoot — but Cookie more or less appears between him along with his targets, pleading, “I’d instead perish than lose you again!”

Lucious makes an additional play for Hakeem’s heart, providing him a hot new track called “Boom Boom Boom Boom” — but their son quickly rejects it. “With you there is always strings — or ropes that choke,” he huffs. In the long run, it is Jamal and Andre who rally Hakeem’s spirits, telling him they mightn’t have battled straight back, either, and therefore their life ended up being well worth much more than his road cred. Group hug? Well, why don’t we phone it a note and huddle that it is nonetheless going.

DESTINY’S PROBLEM CHILD

Yep, which is Cookie’s nickname for Mirage a Trois, them prepare for their breakout moment at Big Apple Jam as she helps. Regarding the big evening, however, Hakeem freezes up during the sight of Lucious’ taunting face when you look at the market, and it’s really Laura who pulls him away from a next-level vocal to his haze sung right to their face. Later, whenever Anika turns up at Hakeem’s apartment, she discovers he is having a “boss-level celebration” — and she is perhaps not invited. Ouch!

JAMAL’S NEW BENEFACTOR | Meanwhile, Jamal’s taking care of a track called “Delta John to Alpha One” (aka the most effective damn thing he is delivered in most of period 2) and getting frustrated that the Staples Center rejected him for a trip date due to being “too slim of an musician.” He understands it is code for “gay” and brings in the daddy’s old enemy Jameson Henthrop (William Fichtner) — a gay, David Geffen mogul type — to simply help turn their marketing fortunes around.

FRIDAIS ONLY ANOTHER TERM FOR NOTHIN’ LEFT TO REDUCE | Andre has an epiphany (apparently backed by difficult numbers) that Empire’s Ghetto lifestyle unit ought to be a Christian label — bad news when it comes to music artists he is likely to drop, but great news for Becky’s illicit love J. Poppa, whom warms to your concept such as for instance a nun hearing Handel’s “The Messiah” at Christmas. Usually the one musician Lucious claims positively can’t be cut is Frida Gathers — even though she finishes an awe-inspiring performance at Leviticus by throwing the facial skin of a heckler. Lucious tracks her down, tells her he pertains to her more than his or her own sons (ouch, dude!) and then offers her “Boom Boom Boom Boom,” to which she adlibs with raw fury and a dosage of humor. The lady is really good.

COOKIE COULD NEED HELP WITH HER MATCH.COM PROFILE | Cookie ends the hour by turning up at Laz’s house last but not least giving directly into their available flirtation. “Make me personally forget precisely what took place this week, Laz,” she sighs, dropping into their arms as “Boom Boom Boom Boom” not too subtly plays over their makeout session. Nevertheless when dude will be taking off their hoodie, it is not an instance of sexy “Damn!” it’s a lot more of an uh-oh/oh-no “Damn!” He’s got similar tattoo since the gang users whom kidnapped her son!

Exactly just just What do you contemplate this week’s kingdom? Do you suspect Laz had motives that are ulterior? Noise down below!