It was the tweet that had everyone talking.
After Jussie Smollett's character Jamal was gunned down in the final moments of the penultimate episode of Empire's second season, the actor shared a message with his fans on Twitter that had everyone in a frenzied worry that the star might not be returning to the Fox hit for a third season.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time w/ @EmpireFOX. I love you all. Truth," Smollett wrote following the episode's west coast airing. "Time 2 make a record & some movies. #Empire."
We weren't so sure that this was anything more than TV's latest attempt at tricking us into believing a beloved character was dead only to later reveal he isn't. (The show surely wouldn't kill off its prodigal son, would it?) And it turned out that many of you agreed. In our poll on the topic, 73.7 percent of you said you thought it was a trick as well.
Hoping to get to the bottom of things before tomorrow's season finale, E! News caught up with Smollett on the red carpet Monday night at the after-party for Fox's 2016 Upfronts presentation in NYC and grilled the actor on his tweet. So, what did he have to say for himself?
"I sent out a tweet and apparently it got fans spinning, that's all I can tell you about that," Smollett told us. "Listen, I mean it's all love and everything will, you know, all come together in the season finale and all will make sense. All of the questions will be answered, the holes will be filled, and the ribbons will be tied in a nice little bow."
In other words, we're all going to just have to tune in and find out.
For more from Smollett, including his thoughts on Jamal's fate, be sure to press play on the video above.
Empire's season two finale airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Fox.