Empire Season 4 Episode 13 Review: Of Hardiness is Mother
Paul Dailly
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I don't know about anyone else, but I thought Empire Season 4 Episode 13 showcased the best and worst of this hit Fox drama series.
We had various engaging plots and some that felt thrown in purely to get the episode up to the allotted running time. But, it is what it is.
For example, it was only a matter of time before Cookie had to confront Bo, and I'm honestly surprised she hadn't already sent Lucious on a mission to get dole out some revenge.
If you watch Empire online, you know that Cookie had a horrible time of it behind bars, but she built some strong bonds over those 17 years.
It's just a shame she had to contend with the likes of Bo, who abused his power and raped some of the inmates.
Cookie showing up at his house was everything. You could tell he knew his sins were coming back to haunt him in a big way.
His threats were just that -- threats. Out of prison, his power had diminished because he couldn't send Cookie to solitary for something she didn't do.
Related: Empire Season 4 Episode 12 Review: Sweet Sorrow
I loved that Cookie was quick to smack his hand away when he went to grab her. He got cornered, and there was no telling what Cookie was going to do.
Even though Cookie had her differences with Poundcake, it was natural for her to change her stance when she learned that Poundcake was only trying to do what she needed to do to find her daughter.
Bo's reign of terror came flooding back to Cookie as a result of her significant health scare and meeting with a dying Poundcake.
While it would be great for Cookie to reunite Poundcake with her long-lost daughter before she dies, we need to remember that this is Empire and nothing good ever happens.
Cookie's heart attack has had a profound effect on her, and it's helped her put everything into perspective. She's tired of games, and all she wants is an uncomplicated life.
It's so surprising that Lucious can echo her sentiments because they are always at odds with each other. Empire Season 4 has been successful in getting me to care for their relationship again.
I'm not going to lie; the back and forth killed the spark, but the writers have managed to breathe new life into these characters, and in turn, the relationships.
Then there's Lucious who is not thinking of having Andre killed and thrown into the Hudson River. Old Lucious would not have hesitated to kill a family member, but he's done a lot of growing up recently.
What Andre did was wicked, but embarking on missions to get power is just par for the course with this family.
Lucious decided to spend the day with Andre to get closer to the truth about what Eddie was up to, and it brought the pair closer together.
Eddie was quite the master manipulator, but I can't be the only one who laughed when the companies linked to buying the shares in Empire all tied back to Eddie.
I hate to break it to you, but everyone at this table, at one point, wanted you dead.
Cookie
It's difficult to believe that Eddie didn't think Lucious or Cookie would pick up on any of the names.
If the operation was worth that much money, you'd think he would have covered all of his bases. It makes me think there is more to this than meets the eye.
If not, then Eddie's whole arc has been about something more than the money, and it wouldn't surprise me if it were down to his weird attraction to Tiana.
Did anyone else notice how she was acting without Eddie in the mix? He made her feel at ease while she was performing, and without him in the studio, she was all over the place.
Even though Tiana has an airtight contract with Empire, there's a good chance she would up and leave and go wherever Eddie goes.
Jamal's storyline was somewhat problematic. He doesn't seem to care what the public thinks of him.
How is the company going to be able to promote him if he's coming across as the most unlikeable person around?
I appreciate that Tory stepped in to help him, but it seems like she's going to OD before too long, and Jamal will find himself all the way back to square one.
Related: Empire Season 4 Episode 11 Review: Without Apology
That said, the whole song situation -- with it playing in the club as an exclusive -- was a bitter pill to swallow.
Surely, anybody against Jamal will be able to see through his thinly veiled attempt at getting a hit song out there without apologizing for his actions.
The action slowed down during "Of Hardiness is Mother," but it was still an enjoyable hour.
What did you think of the episode? Are you on board with Cookie's plan?
Hit the comments.
Empire continues Wednesdays on Fox.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
