‘Empire’ Stars and Fans Take Their Finale Feelings to the Internet

Some 17.5 million viewers tuned in for the shocking sex, murder and music in the season finale of Fox’s soapy hip hop drama Empire. Throughout the two-hour set of back-to-back episodes, that audience took over Twitter, and to put it in the words of Empire’s own Cookie Lyon, Taraji P. Henson, “broke the Internet” with their enthusiasm. Hashtags like #EmpireFinale, #EmpireFox and #CookieMonsters flooded social media as the evening’s twists and turns played out. Here are some reactions from the stars of the show and the fans coping with both the tumultuous events of the finale and the fact that they now have to wait for Season 2 for more time with the Lyons.
Bryshere Gray (Hakeem)
Thank you everyone who tuned in faithfully each & every week I deeply love you so so much!! Get ready for season 2!! #EmpireFOX
— #YTG ™ (@YazzTheGreatest) March 19, 2015
Very Dysfunctional Family! #EmpireFOX
— #YTG ™ (@YazzTheGreatest) March 19, 2015
We will always be brothers thru whateva! #HakeemAndJamal #EmpireFOX
— #YTG ™ (@YazzTheGreatest) March 19, 2015
Cat Fight!! 🙀 #EmpireFOX
— #YTG ™ (@YazzTheGreatest) March 19, 2015
Now the battle begins! Noooo #EmipireFOX
— #YTG ™ (@YazzTheGreatest) March 19, 2015
Jussie Smollett (Jamal)
#Jamal knows how to smile for the cameras then snap on a nicca real quick. Daddy or not. #empire
— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) March 19, 2015
I guess #Anika can in fact get her pearls disturbed. ��’� #cookie @TherealTaraji @gracegealey #CookieWhoopDatAss #empire
— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) March 19, 2015
Pregnancies, brawls and accidental murders. A week in the life of the #LyonFamily #Empire
— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) March 19, 2015
I hope Yall enjoyed the season finale of @EmpireFOX this has been such an incredible ride and I couldn’t possibly thank Yall enough. #empire
— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) March 19, 2015
Grace Gealey (Anika)
This is wild! ��”���”���”� welcome to @SnoopDogg and hello @BEANZbeanzBEANZ !!! â¤ï¸
— Grace Gealey (@gracegealey) March 19, 2015
Ummm Hakeem???? #wow and Lucious punched the MESS outta ‘Keem 😳��’�
— Grace Gealey (@gracegealey) March 19, 2015
Anika went there. Smh. #EmpireFinale
— Grace Gealey (@gracegealey) March 19, 2015
Run-dem-pearls catfight, pregnancy, death, @MsPattiPatti @IAMJHUD @JussieSmollett ALL sang their faces off AND game on bitches?! #ImDone
— Grace Gealey (@gracegealey) March 19, 2015
Kaitlin Doubleday (Rhonda)
Taraji P. Henson (Cookie)
Gabourey Sidibe (Becky)
So #Empire is ALREADY trending?! Yall got our backs like bra straps! Enjoy!! Hold on to ya wigs! #Empire #Empire #Empire #EmpireFinale !!
— Gabourey Sidibe (@GabbySidibe) March 19, 2015
And the fans:
Wow! Church members choosing #EmpireFinale over choir rehearsal 😳 pic.twitter.com/8JLmEWjt6x
— Yeah I Said It (@ASK_DST) March 19, 2015
I had to stop eating. I’m not hungry anymore. What the hello kitty just happened!!! #EmpireFinale
— yolanda alexander (@tomuchyokie) March 19, 2015
Empire doesn’t know if it wants to be a tawdry PrimeTime TV series or a ‘Tales From the Hood’ film short. #EmpireFOX #EmpireFinale #Empire
— TiffJ (@Coffey0072) March 19, 2015
#AutoReply “I”m watching #EmpireFinale right now. I will respond to your message later..after I have mentally absorbed what just happened”
— Hectito (@Hexxamillion) March 19, 2015
Whew.. #EmpireFinale was… I need another drink! Goodnight
— Lola (@BKBrownBetty) March 19, 2015
NO.!!! It’s over.!!! ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ï¿½ï¿½'”��'”��'”��'”��'”��'” #EmpireFox #EmpireFinale
— Akiyaaaa âœŒï¸ (@_TeamVirgo) March 19, 2015