SPOILER ALERT: Empire wraps second season with major cliffhanger as Rhonda and pregnant Anika battle on balcony

Empire wrapped its second season on Fox on Wednesday with a cliffhanger on a high-rise balcony. 

Rhonda Lyon [Kaitlin Doubleday] had discovered that Anika Calhoun [Grace Gealey] had pushed her down the stairs and killed her baby.

Infuriated Rhonda then attacked the pregnant Anika on a Manhattan balcony, grabbing her by the throat and attempting to throw her over the edge.

Season finale: Rhonda Lyon and Anika Calhoun fought on a high-rise balcony during the season finale cliffanger of Empire on Wednesday

'You wanted that devil child to be the only heir to the throne didn't you, didn't you?' Rhonda screeched as she held her by the neck above the dizzying drop.

'You're damn right I did you bitch,' responded Anika as they tussled furiously.

The season closed with the scream of a woman, apparently falling to her death.

The feisty catfight was the final spectacle of a tense season finale titled Past Is Prologue.

Balcony battle: Anika was grabbed by the throat by Rhonda as they battled on the balcony

Over the edge: Rhonda and Anika leaned over the edge of the high-rise balcony

Hakeem's marriage to Laura was derailed after Anika got served with court papers to testify against Lucious during the ceremony.

Scared by the commotion Laura [Jamila Velazquez] called off the wedding in tears.

'I can't do this,' she blubbered.

Fluid situation: Andre Lyon heard a ruckus and discovered his wife and pregnant Anika on the balcony's ledge

'Ya'll a bunch of thugs,' agreed her father as they left.

A Lyon family meeting was then called.

'I'll do whatever it takes to not testify,' said Anika.

Not testifying: Anika said she would anything to not testify in the case being built by the feds

Empire patriarch Lucious Lyon [Terrence Howard] decided that if he married Anika spousal privilege would prevent her from testifying.

They already had a license from when they were dating back.

'You can't do it, this is my wedding and she's carrying my baby,' protested Lucious's son Hakeem [Bryshere Gray].

Former groom: Hakeem looked shocked as his father married his bride-to-be Anika

'I did not save this bitch's life so she could ruin mine,' said Cookie [Taraji P. Henson] who had talked Anika out of suicide earlier in the show.

'There ain't no other way…I need you on this one,' Lucious told Cookie, but she stormed out in tears.

Lucious and Anika were then promptly wed by his son Andre with an awkward cheek kiss to seal it.

She's hurt: Cookie also was hurt as Lucious married Anika

Totally awkward: Andre officiated the ceremony and married his father and Anika

On the cheek: Lucious awkwardly kissed Anika on the cheek after they were married

'I know you pushed her,' Lucious told her in reference to Rhonda as they walked back down the aisle.

The rest of the family abhorred the union.

'It hasn't occurred to you that this kid can call you daddy and granddaddy,' Jamal scowled later.

Good one: Jamal noted that Anika's baby could call Lucious his 'daddy and granddaddy'

Lucious' half brother then showed up, bringing some nasty truths about his past.

'My father was a good cop but a bad man Dwight, I guess we each got half of him,' he growled.

'My name is Lucious, and maybe I ain't got no family,' Lucious told him defiantly.

Family drama: Lucious also was confronted by his half brother

Fatal encounter: Flashbacks showed a young Lucious witnessing his father being shot to death

The show had opened with Jamal [Jussie Smollett] in a wheelchair three weeks after taking a bullet meant for his father.

Jamal initially refused to perform at his brother's wedding.

'I ain't singing no more alright, I'm just tired,' he cried, citing the family's 'same old cycle' of death and incarceration.

Feeling down: Jamal was feeling down after taking a bullet for his father

He vowed to give up music until the cycle was broken.

Lucious' mother Leah [Leslie Uggams] tried to spill some secrets about Lucious' father – but he dragged her off before she had the chance.

'Tell them the truth,' she hissed.

Family secrets: Lucious's mother Leah warned that her grandsons were paying for the sins of their father

Anika came to talk to Cookie and Lucious about the murder investigation, but Rhonda interrupted by trying to throttle her.

'I knew I heard your voice you little bitch,' she screamed as she flew for the jugular.

'I know you pushed me bitch,' she yelled, but the family pulled them apart.

Round one: Rhonda earlier went after pregnant Anika but was restrained by the family

Still angry: Andre tried to reason with his wife but she remained convinced it was Anika who pushed her

Lucious told Cookie that the authorities were tailing him because he killed someone for Tommy Devoni and Rosie Perkins.

They had made Lucious extinguish a new artist they had signed – because he'd become a 'loud mouth, selling wolf tickets and threatening other artists,' as Lucious put it.

'They wanted him handled,' he confessed.

Old debt: Cookie learned from Lucious about a past killing he did for Tommy Devoni and Rosie Perkins

Cookie, looking particularly outlandish, went to visit Shine Johnson who demanded a publishing deal for his nephew Joey.

'And I want Hakeem to record it,' he said while also insisting on an invite to the wedding.

Cookie wasn't keen, but she relented.

Unique style: The family matriarch got dressed up for her meeting with Shine Johnson

Hard deal: Shine was seeking a recording contract for his nephew and an invite to Hakeem's wedding

Lucious then visited Freda [Bre-Z] in prison and categorically denied killing her father.

'I promise you, I never laid a finger on your daddy,' he lied, asking Freda to rectify his rift with Jamal.

She conceded and recorded an angry rap for Lucious on his phone.

Jail visit: Lucious went to visit Freda in jail to repair his relationship with Jamal

Rap song: Freda helped Lucious out and recorded an impromptu rap song

'I ended the cycle today,' Lucious told Jamal later, passing him a hard drive of the track.

This seemed to appease Jamal, and he began to compose a song for his brother's nuptials.

The day before the doomed wedding the family sat for a banquet.

Family wedding: Lucious hosted a wedding banquet while trying to keep his music label together and stay out of jail

Laura's father was not pleased about Shine attending the ceremony, calling him 'one of the most notorious thugs in hip hop'.

'Shine's an old family friend, he's not going to be a problem,' insisted Lucious.

An Empire meeting was interrupted as Anika threatened to throw herself off the roof.

Scary situation: Anika was overwhelmed and was prepared to throw herself off the roof

To the rescue: Cookie got emotional as she talked Anika down

'I'd rather kill myself than be forced to snitch on Lucious,' she said.

'You are carrying a life, my grandson…you will never be alone, you are a Lyon now,' urged Cookie, who managed to pull her from the ledge.

Cookie and Lucious then bonded over drinks.

Bonding time: Lucious bonded with Cookie over drinks

'I should have never let you go, there's a reason I never married anyone else,' he told her as he admired her rear.

'I like watching you leave, twerk it for me,' he laughed as she complied with a little dance.

On the day of the wedding Shine showed up wasted with an entourage of tacky women.

Twerking it: Cookie did a little dance for Lucious

'He's just a kid who wants to be part of the club again,' assured Lucious before the whole affair fell apart.

Empire, a hip hop themed drama loosely based on King Lear, has already been renewed for a third season on Fox.

The series premiere on January 7, 2015 was Fox's highest-rated debut in three years. 

Grand entrance: Shine showed up with some tacky women

Making a scene: The barely invited guest promptly made a scene

Wedding scene: The wedding soon fell apart and the bride called it off