True story: I almost didn’t tune into the Empire Season 3 premiere because of the Season 2 finale. That cliffhanger of Rhonda and Anika fighting on the roof, with one falling over and then cutting to black? That was really hard to wait four months to see the resolution of, I’ll tell you that. Now that we know that it was Rhonda who tumbled over the side of the building and landed on Lucious’ limo, I can say that I’m fully not happy about it. I loved Rhonda’s Lady Macbeth attitude. She was a ride or die (self-proclaimed), and she supported Andre throughout his struggles with his family and with his bipolar disorder. What does Rhonda’s death mean for Andre on Empire ?
It was cold of the Empire writers to get rid of Kaitlin Doubleday, but she’s not exactly gone. Andre is overcome with grief in his wife’s death, and he starts to see visions of her in their apartment. I hope that Rhonda is the angel (or devil) on Andre’s shoulder all season long. I would hate to lose Rhonda over something like falling four stories to her death.
What happens now for the rest of the Lyon family? Well, Rhonda’s death could make Andre relapse into the manic side of his bipolar disorder, as he may not have the drive to take care of himself (and have no one to look after him) now that she’s gone. Andre’s religion may not be able to help him, either. It seems like he’s going to renounce his new God, as he told Cookie that God didn’t exist in the wake of Rhonda’s death. That's big coming from a man that has just been baptized. Man, Andre just can’t catch a break.
This can go one of two ways, really. He can fall into a deep, deep depression that no one can get him out of, or he can be motivated by Rhonda’s death to come back stronger, especially when it comes to his family. Rhonda always wanted Andre to take over Empire Entertainment, so maybe he’ll avenge her death by taking control and kicking the rest of his family — especially Anika, who is now married to Lucious and who caused Rhonda’s miscarriage and death — out the door. Oh, Rhonda; we’ll miss you and your bib.
Images: Chuck Hodes/FOX; Giphy
