Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) plots against her enemies in the upcoming episode of "Empire" season 3.
Titled "Toil and Trouble," next week's episode serves as the first part of the two-hour finale. According to the official synopsis, Cookie is banned from her own casino, Leviticus Vegas. Determined to get what is rightfully hers, the Lyon matriarch calls in her team of allies to exact revenge on Giuliana (Nia Long) and rob her secret weapon. Elsewhere, Jamal (Jussie Smollett) temporarily puts his album on hold — a decision he made so as not to compete with Lucious' (Terrence Howard) "Inferno" album.
Cartermatt notes the episode might reopen old wounds between Jamal and Lucious. The two characters have had a tumultuous relationship ever since Jamal showed his feminine side. However, it seems that Jamal's sexuality will not be the new issue between them. Throughout the show's run, Lucious proves that he has an innate insecurity about other people getting more opportunities than him. He did not like it when Cookie and Angelo had a relationship, and he certainly did not like how things are going on with Jamal's career.
The promo from Fox shows Cookie confronting Lucious about how she cannot enter their own casino. Thirsty (Andre Royo) tells her that the only way to solve their problems is to get rid of Giuliana. The only way she could do it is to find a hidden safe in the casino, which holds Giuliana's secret weapon. The last moments of the clip show Cookie reuniting with her sisters and trusted friends to plan the heist.
"For Cookie, the stakes are all or nothing," executive producer Ilene Chaiken reveals in a sneak peek. "She is trying to save her family and she's trying to draw Lucious back to her side but it could go terribly wrong, and she could lose everything."
The third season of "Empire" airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EDT on Fox.
