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While all of us are playing checkers, the Lyon clan is playing chess, and in the words of the ever slick and seductive Lucious Lyon, “It’s game time bitches!” To kick off our Season 2 Binge Watch (Starts Saturday 9a/8c), we thought it only appropriate to devote each day leading up to it to a Lyon, with a breakdown of how their role mirrors a piece on a chessboard, because after all, each one is playing HARD to depose the king.

THE KING IS HERE!

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 The King’s power is not in how it moves but in what you will do to acquire his position. Look how Lucious dangles his prestige (as well as other things) in front of the ambitious and the thirsty. He turns their power moves against them as he moves one small step at a time to victory. He’s not always as loud as Cookie or obvious as Hakeem, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t planning your demise while shaking your hand.

ULTIMATE CHECKMATE MOVES

 

Lucious’ top 3 power moves include:

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Cornering the Market (Season 2, Episode 3)

Fresh out of jail and looking to roar again, Lucious found himself behind the 8-ball when Cookie breaks off a new label with a hot new act. So what’s a King to do? How about buy Apex radio — the hottest radio station in town — effectively killing any hope Cookie had of beating him at his own game.

Giving Roxanne a Co-Pilot (Season 2, Episode 4)

Nothing says “Don’t Mess with Me” like finding a rotting corpse in your car. This is the message someone (cough — Lucious — cough) sent to the meddling attorney Roxanne who tried to kill the Apex radio deal.

What Goes Around (Season 2, Episode 11)

Some people take their kids to their old houses, maybe their alma matters to inspire. Not Lucious. He takes a scheming Hakeem to the exact spot where he killed his Uncle Bunkie as not only a warning, but a line in the sand to see what his son would do.

THE KING HAS SPOKEN

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Andre: “You put me in charge.” Lucious: “No, I put you in place! Don’t confuse the two.” (Season 2, Episode 6)

In what is the “Empire” equivalent of telling your child “everything you have is mine because I pay the bills around here,” Lucious reminds Andre that heading up Gutter Records is no where being a boss.

“It’s life or death so if you don’t shoot me right here, I promise you the next time I see you I will do my best to take your life.” (Season 2, Episode 11)

Granted, it’s not the sweetest thing a father could tell his son, but to be fair Hakeem was flexing and Lucious is a power-hungry mad man, so . . .

“Hey baby. Look wherever you like.” (Season 2, Episode 4)

Doors have bells for a reason, so when Roxanne broke bad by storming in on Lucious after a night of, uh, entertainment, she should have been ready for his greeting. And by greeting we mean he stood in his foyer butterball nude with a sly smile on his face.

ENDGAME

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If you think Lucious is happy sharing the reigns of his empire with Cookie (or anyone else for that matter), you have NOT been watching this show. Our guess is that Lucious will lull Cookie into a false sense of security before springing the trap. Remember Camilla’s (Naomi Campbell) death could be pinned on ANYONE and chances are Lucious already knows who he wants to put behind bars and out of his way.

Missed the other character profiles? Check out “The Bishop”, “The Queen”,  “The Knight” and “The Pawn”Now, you’re caught up. All you have to do now is watch our Season 2 Binge-A-Thon. Watch all day Saturday, starting 9 am.

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