“Empire” went out with a bang Wednesday night, with its 16.5 million viewers (over two hours), the best yet for the skyrocketing Fox drama.

The reason viewers couldn’t turn away — except, of course, to tweet their reactions — was because of the swiftly paced narrative, which held plenty of surprises. In case you lost track, we kept a list while we were watching.

Lucious gives Jamal the empire

It took an entire season for Lucious (Terrence Howard) to wake up and realize that his middle child, Jamal (Jussie Smollett), was really the right choice to inherit the record label. Sure, Jamal’s brothers, Andre (Trai Byers) and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray), were deeply resentful, but Lucious said from Day One that he wanted the family member with the greatest musical talent to head up the label. That person is his gay son, Jamal.

Lucious’ miracle cure

Diagnosed in Episode 1 with ALS, Lucious thought he was a goner, and he prepared his family for the inevitable. Then he began to show symptoms — such as blurred vision — that are inconsistent with that first diagnosis. In the end, it turned out that he has myasthenia gravis, a serious disease (but not fatal). Lucious got a second lease on life. He’s going to need it.

Hakeem and Anika get it on

Still annoyed that his father paid his cougar girlfriend Camilla (Naomi Campbell) to get lost, bad boy Hakeem got back at Lucious by having sex with his ex-fiancée, Anika (Grace Gealey).

Lucious confesses to Bunkie’s murder

After taking a powerful sleeping pill, Lucious let his mouth run in his sleep. Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) was standing over his bed when she heard him admit that he shot her cousin Bunkie (Antoine McKay). Then she tried to smother him.

The FBI grabs Cookie

After Lucious has Cookie removed from the Empire premises for trying to kill him (it was all on his security camera), she goes outside, only to be picked up by her friends at the FBI. They want her to feed them info on Lucious that will connect him to Bunkie’s murder. She won’t snitch and walks out.

The hostile takeover

Anika enlists Andre, Hakeem and Cookie for a hostile takeover of Empire, but not before the two ladies have a proper catfight on top of a pool table. That was a long time comin’.

Vernon’s murder

Vernon (Malik Yoba) and Andre get into a fistfight at Andre’s house. Andre’s wife, Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday), comes home in the middle of the dust-up and hits Vernon over the head with a blunt object, instantly killing him. Andre wants to call the cops, but she stops him, saying she’s pregnant.

Lucious is arrested

In the middle of his tribute concert, the FBI arrests Lucious for the murder of Bunkie Campbell. As he is led away in handcuffs, Cookie swears to Lucious that she wasn’t behind it.

ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2JlfnZ7j2xmanFfqbWmecSmp6KqlWKzqrrApZysZWhiurC%2F02aqoaeToLavs4ympqadnqnAcA%3D%3D