By now we've all developed certain expectations for what our favorite TV dramas can and should bring to the table each and every week. But I don't think even the most diehard fans could've predicted Anika's pregnancy on Empire and the major shift in her personality that seems to have come along with it. In a way, it almost feels like the writers just woke up one day and decided to make Anika an unhinged villain. But deep down we all know that there's a method behind her madness: she wants back in on the Lyon family dynasty and sees her unborn child as the key to making it happen. And while she's managed to keep the baby a secret for now, it's only a matter of time before Hakeem learns Anika is pregnant. The only question is… when?
So far, Anika has gone to extreme lengths to cause issues between Hakeem and Laura. She even upped her creep factor by pretending to be Laura's driver one day just so she could find out where she lived. (Boo Boo Kitty isn't messing around, folks!) But you'd think that if she really wanted to drive a wedge between this budding romance, all she'd have to do was come clean about the pregnancy and inform Hakeem that he's about to become a father. Surely, that alone would be enough to cause problems between him and Laura.
Not that I haven't highly enjoyed seeing this alternate side of Anika's character since you're never quite sure what crazy stunt she'll pull next. Logically, though, the truth feels like her smartest option. And it won't be too long before she starts to show, so keeping mum about the whole thing is basically a moot point, ya know? So considering that Anika is no fool, I'm wondering if she has a different endgame for how this all plays out. Maybe she's intentionally acting this way so that Hakeem will reject her and Lucious will come to her aid?
If they got back together relatively soon she could try to pass Hakeem's baby off as Lucious'. Let's not forget that this family has done a baby daddy switcheroo on us before. (Remember when we learned that Lucious — not Jamal — was Olivia's father?) So anything is really possible at this point.
But however this ends up playing out, just take comfort in knowing that Bryshere Y. Gray (who plays Hakeem) wants the truth to come out just as badly as you do — perhaps even as soon as this week's episode perhaps? "I would hope so. It’s going to be his first baby in life," the actor recently shared with Variety in regards to whether or not Hakeem will learn about Anika's pregnancy sooner rather than later. “We all know he’s not ready to be a father. I ain’t ready yet, y’all! So we’re were going to see what the outcome is." I can only hope that it somehow involves Cookie throwing more shoes at people.
Images: Chuck Hodes/FOX; Giphy (3)
