‘Empire’ Kills off Major Character in Season 5 Finale

Empire finally revealed which member of the Lyon family was lying on the coffin, and the reason why they are dead is just as heartbreaking.

Spoilers ahead for Empire Season 5 , Episode 18 (“The Roughest Day”).

The Fox drama series’ fifth season first introduced the mystery of the coffin in the season premiere episode, when Lucious (Terrence Howard) was seen crying over his dead family member. “The Roughest Day” finally showed that it was Ben Kingsley (A.Z. Kelsey) who lost his life during the episode.

The episode picked up where last week’s left off, with Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) stopping Andre’s (Trai Byers) suicide attempt and fighting with Lucious, also breaking the news that Andre’s girlfriend is pregnant.

Cookie and Lucious go with their son to the hospital after his heart condition worsens and doctors work hard to get him to regain consciousness. The heart-pounding moment ends with Andrew’s pulse coming back, and Cookie unable to forgive her husband for allowing him to end his life.

Fans will remember Andre made the decision to kill himself after his cancer treatment resulted in him being cancer-free, but with irreparable damage to his heart that would eventually kill him.

As the doctors work to stabilize Andre, Cookie gets a call from Jamal (Jussie Smollett) letting her know a storm grounded all flights so he will be unable to make it back home from his honeymoon.

Andre regains consciousness later on he gets the chance to celebrate his girlfriend’s pregnancy, as doctors determine he will need a new heart in order to survive. Lucious finds comfort in his son Kingsley (A.Z. Kelsey), admitting he would give everything for him.

As Cookie and Andre have a heart-to-heart at the hospital where she promises he will survive his condition, Lucious and Kingsley bond over his old records. Kingsley seems upset when he tries to discuss being raised outside of the Lyon family, but Lucious seems more focused on reminiscing about Andre.

At the hospital, Andre proposes to his girlfriend, saying making it official would secure their child would be safe and taken care of, should he not survive. The episode then shows Cookie, Lucious and the rest of the family gather for a quick bedside ceremony at the hospital, marking the couple’s union.

Kingsley later visits his manipulative mother, who was finally given the OK to leave the hospital. She slaps him for trying to bond with the Lyons, and says she should have gotten an abortion when she got the chance. The traumatic moment leads Kingsley to try and find Lucious. When his father dismisses him needing to talk, Kingsley loses it and pulls a gun on him.

Lucious tells Kingsley he would have been there for him if his mother had told him about it. He then tells Kingsley to shoot him in the head so the doctors can give his heart to Andre. However, Kingsley realizes he can make things right and shoots himself in the head.

Lucious tries to get Kingsley’s heart for Andrew but his mother blocks the surgery from happening. After some soul-searching however, she agrees to let the transplant happen, but for a price. Cookie and Lucious fight as a result of their multiple betrayals but take time to celebrate after the procedure is a success.

After the company celebrates the success of the concert series, the show returns to the funeral scene it’s been teasing all season long. Lucious orders they open the casket and he sees Kingsley lying there, and thanks his first-born for his sacrifice.

Empire was already renewed for a sixth season. The show will see the main cast return, with the exception of Smollett. While the actor’s contract was extended for Season 6, his rep confirmed recently Jamal Lyon will to return for the first few episodes of the season.

Empire will return for Season 6 in fall 2019 on Fox.