The premiere's biggest hook is Lucious’s amnesia. Stripped of his memories, he is essentially "Dwight," a man who seems genuinely kind but is entirely dependent on his family—and his nurse.
When she shows up to the Empire 20th Anniversary party looking like a guest rather than staff, it’s clear she’s playing a much deeper game than medical recovery. She is isolating Lucious from the very family that is trying to help him "remember." 3. The Lyon Brothers’ Struggles [S4E1] Noble Memory
Carrying the heavy guilt of his scheme to kill his father, Andre is on edge. Every time Lucious looks at him, Andre fears his secret will be discovered. The premiere's biggest hook is Lucious’s amnesia
Nurse Claudia (played by Phylicia Rashad) is immediately established as a formidable new player. While she claims to be protecting Lucious’s progress, her possessiveness is chilling. She is isolating Lucious from the very family
He finds a potential ally in Warren, though the "sympathy" Warren feels for Jamal’s family drama suggests their relationship will be complicated.
His secret meetings with Diana DuBois regarding Bella suggest he is being manipulated into a deal that could devastate the Lyons later this season. 4. Cookie’s Fight for Her Empire