when empires fall

Empire Returned Last Night Without Jussie Smollett. Here’s How They Wrote Him Off.

Photo: Fox

While the foreign narrative surrounding Jussie Smollett’s departure from Empire had already been teased to viewers, on Tuesday night, we finally got confirmation about what the hell is going on in Jamal’s life. (As for Smollett’s life? Well, that’s another story entirely.) As was very briefly mentioned during the show’s season premiere, Jamal and his fiancé decided to move to London to escape the Lyon family’s near-constant petty drama, in the hopes of restarting their lives with the help of Pimm’s and a pledge of allegiance to Arsenal. Brexit be damned! Jamal’s mother, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is the relayer of such intel, telling a pal the details during a night-in of pampering. “No wonder that boy ran off to London,” Cookie joked, gesturing to her pink onesie. “Please don’t get me started. I miss him so much.” Smollett is still lying low after the criminal charges against him, for allegedly staging a hate crime, were dropped.

Empire Returned. Here’s How They Wrote Off Jussie Smollett.