Entertainment

What We Need To Know About Jamal In Season 2

by Marenah Dobin

Season finales are pretty much the worst. And by that I mean that they're the best, but they keep me lingering far too long with all the questions I have until the next season begins. The anticipation for new episodes of a favorite show can be too much to take sometimes, and no finale has left me with more questions than the end of Empire 's first season. More happened in the first five minutes of that episode than in an entire season of any other show this year. I still cannot believe how it all ended, and I can't stop thinking about the fate of my boy Jamal. In my opinion, he has always been the nicest and most talented member of the Lyon family — the true star. So, obviously, I'm pretty invested in the fate of this fictional character.

Jamal may have been the one dangling people off a balcony in the Season 2 finale, but he has really left the fans hanging when it comes to what his Season 2 story lines will include. I just need to know what's going to happen with him! Here are all the burning questions I have when it comes to Jamal Lyon.

1. How will he fare running the label?

When Jamal was named as his father's successor at Empire, it seemed like a task that he wouldn't take on for quite sometime, especially after it was revealed that Lucious does not actually have ALS. So it was a big shock when Lucious was thrown in jail. This means that Jamal will have to step up to the plate immediately. But what about that takeover that Anika, Cookie, Hakeem, and Andre have been putting together? Are they going to take Jamal down before he even gets started? He's a wonderful artist, but he's never expressed the same desire to run the business that his brothers have. Has he been hiding his potential as a business executive or is this just not the right move for the singer?

2. Will he and Hakeem reconcile?

Even though Cookie and Lucious tried to pit their sons against each other, Hakeem and Jamal always persevered with a nice bond. They even sound great together collaborating on a track. Now that Hakeem has slept with his father's girlfriend and Jamal has finally received love from their father, I am interested to see how the dynamic of the brothers' relationship will play out. They will always be brothers, but I really want them to be friends again.

3. What kind of consequences will he face for forgiving his father?

Jamal has been looking for love from Lucious his entire life and now that everyone hates Lucious, his only ally is the son that he was the hardest on. Oh the irony! Now that Lucious is in jail, is he going to have Jamal do his bidding for him? We all know that most people don't actually like the family patriach, they're just scared of him, so I imagine Jamal is going to face some consequences. Plus, he was always such a strong supporter of his mom. I'm sure that she's not too pleased that he was singing duets with Lucious and helping him get ready in the dressing room during the finale.

4. Can he and Cookie repair their relationship?

Cookie and Jamal had such a sweet relationship. While Lucious was hard on him for his entire life, Cookie supported him and encouraged him to be himself. In turn, Jamal always stood up for Cookie, especially when Hakeem disrespected her. But will Jamal's new relationship with Lucious affect his relationship with Cookie? He looked so sad in the finale when it appeared that Cookie was the one who ratted Lucious out while he was getting arrested.

5. Is he going to have a love interest?

Jamal is out and proud, and apparently Lucious is supporting him now, so does this mean that Jamal is going to jump back into the dating game? I wonder if any of the announced guest stars will serve as a love interest for Jamal. I sure hope so.

6. Is he still a nice guy?

Don't get me wrong, I was very happy that Jamal was finally getting along with his father, but I definitely saw a change in him. Come on, he dangled someone over a balcony. I get that he was trying to retrieve his father's music rights, but it was just such a shocking move from the mild mannered Jamal. Was he just acting out of desperation to help his father or was that a sign of an evil streak to come?

7. Will he actually interact with Andre?

I don't remember Andre and Jamal having any one-on-one scenes together during the entire first season, which is really weird considering they are brothers and both worked for the record label in some capacity. Do they not like each other? Is Andre homophobic? What is the deal? I would love to see these two interacting and learn something about their relationship.

8. Will he keep in touch with Lola?

It was revealed that Lola was actually Lucious' daughter and not Jamal's like we were originally told, but Jamal and the child really formed a sweet bond and he enjoyed taking care of her. Will Lola be back? I am going to guess she will be at some point, but does Jamal still consider her a daughter or a way younger sister? It would be nice for her to have a kind, male figure in her life, and Lucious isn't really cut out for fathering anyway.

I'm hoping Jamal remains the most lovable character on the show and that his Empire inheritance doesn't go to his head. I love him too much and I couldn't bare the thought. Is it time for Season 2 yet?

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