La Maldición

**La Maldición** **is** the 43rd episode of the series and the fourth episode in the season. It translates to "The Curse."

## Summary

Teresa inserts herself in a deadly turf war while Javier and Boaz handle a personal problem.

## Plot

Teresa wakes up in Eddie's bed. Bobby kisses his girlfriend and leaves with his boys.

Judge kisses a prostitute and leaves as Chicho takes photos of him. He notices Chicho and laughs to himself.

Tony calls Teresa and he talks about how he misses his mom and Teresa. Teresa offers to hang out tonight. Eddie offers Teresa coffee and asks about Tony, asking her if she has time for breakfast since she's the boss and makes the hours.

Kelly Anne makes huevos rancheros with ketchup and Pote eats them even though they're terrible.

Teresa and Eddie have brunch and he tells her about how he fell in love with music. Siete Gotas receives a unscheduled delivery from Marcel Dumas. Armed men get out of the truck. The men break into Siete Gotas and begin loading up the liquid cocaine. They left a voodoo doll behind in Teresa's office.

Javier and Boaz argue over who will carry the heavier corpse before deciding that they will just both have to do it, meaning that René's corpse is left in the trunk. Teresa watches Eddie perform. Teresa's men manage to escape, but Marcel's men decide that if they can't have the product, no one can. They fire into the barrels of liquid cocaine, effectively destroying Teresa's stores. Teresa's good mood is spoiled when Pote calls. She walks out, and Eddie's smile fades.

At Siete Gotas, George confirms that they lost a lot. Pote shows her that they left a cursed voodoo doll behind. Teresa calls it a declaration of war. Teresa tells Pote and George that she called off the deal with Marcel last night, but she didn't expect for him to want to go to war. George suggests that they go to the Judge, but Teresa says that they can't afford to owe anything more to Lafayette. George says they hit them first so they should call in the calvary, but Teresa says that if they pick a fight, nobody wins. Teresa says that Raul is introducing them to someone from Atlanta who can clear a path to the East Coast. She can't risk all of that. A sicario tells Teresa that he can't reach Javier or Boaz. George says that they're probably just drunk somewhere, but Teresa is more concerned. The last time anyone saw them was last night at the bar.

Lafayette pitches a jail to some buyers. He says that the soil is free of any contaminants and the buyers say that they'll go through the paperwork and get back to him. His henchman says that they'll be wanting another bite at the apple, and Lafayette says that thanks to their new partners in the tequila business they'll give it to them. *Hell, we'll plant an entire orchard.* Once Lafayette's prison is complete, he wants to do a clean sweep of the city and get rid of Teresa and Marcel and all the rest of the riff raff in the city. Lafayette tells his man that he wants to send Teresa a message and maybe teach her a little manners after having someone follow him.

At the swamp, Javier and Boaz finally get the man's body into the swamp. Javier says that Teresa can't know about this. Boaz fires two shots into the water in order to "deflate" the body. Too late, the pair notice a birdwatcher on the other side of the swamp. Javier tries to convince him not to kill the birdwatcher, but Boaz says that he brought him out here to clean this shit up so he's going to clean this shit up. Javier sighs and closes the trunk.

One of Teresa's men tells her that he went to Javier's apartment and Boaz's hotel but they weren't there. The guy at the front desk confirmed that Boaz never made it home. Birdie says that that doesn't surprise her because they didn't look too good last night. Teresa asks when she last saw them. Javier had sent her home and told her that he'd close up. She says that he must have been smashed because he left the door unlocked. Pote muses that maybe George is right and they're in the drunk tank. He leaves to make some calls. Birdie reminds Teresa that they're big boys and they're probably alright. Birdie asks if she believes in luck. Birdie says her father was a gambling addict and he lost everything h had more than once. Until one day, luck shined on him and he won the biggest pot of his life, and he kept one chip for her. Eventually, his luck ran out, but she's been lucky every day since she's had it. She offers it to Teresa. Birdie calls it a loaner, so when her boys come back in begging for Bloody Marys, she can give it back. Teresa thanks her.

Javier and Boaz look for the birdwatcher. Boaz says that they don't have any cell reception and complains that only *gringos* would sit around all day watching birds. Javier quiets him. Javier says that he doesn't smoke weed anymore when offered. Boaz asks if it's because of a girl and Javier denies it. Boaz asks if he remembers when Emilia had him stop smoking weed because she was on a health kick. Javier pretends to see something to get Boaz to shut up.

Teresa calls Boaz's number two in Sinaloa and he confirms that no one has heard from him. Pote suspects that this had something to do with the hit on the distillery. He asks if she thinks it was Dumas.

Birdie tells them that they need to see something and leads them to the bathroom. Pote complains that the smell of bleach is burning his nose. Birdie says that that's the thing -- the janitors didn't come today. Someone cleaned up. George shows them bloody rags that he found in the dumpsters out back, saying that he hopes it isn't Javier's blood.

George reports that the last 24 hours of security footage have been wiped clean just like the bathrooms. Pote says that it has to be Dumas. He must have taken Javier and Boaz off the board right before he hit the distillery. Teresa says that it doesn't make sense. He could've killed their men at the distillery but they didn't. Teresa calls Dumas because if he has them, he'll trade them for product. Teresa sends Pote and Manny to check on Tony.

George and another man break into Bobby's house. There, they find his girl with another man. George offers him his underwear with the barrel of his gun. Once the pair are more or less clothed, George brings them to the front of the house to talk to Teresa. They ask if they know where Bobby is. Bobby runs a poker game on Thursdays at a corner store on Poker Street.

In Pote's house, Pote tells Kelly Anne that there's a problem and offers her a gun because he wants her to be able to protect herself and Tony. He tells her to keep it close.

Tony asks what happened. Pote says that Teresa is okay but she won't be coming home tonight. Tony is upset. Pote instructs Kelly Anne to burn sage and tells her not to worry because he won't let anything happen to her. Lafayette's man watches Pote leave from behind a tree.

In the swamp, Boaz falls over a tree trunk. Boaz makes Javier fall when he tries to help him up. Javier is tired of listening to Boaz talking all day. Boaz presses his gun to Javier's forehead. *If I stayed in Mexico you would have killed me too.*

At the poker game, Bobby steps out due to the smoke in the room. George spots him and pretends to be a drunk tourist asking for directions to Bourbon Street. Bobby tells him that he's on the wrong side of town. Bobby says that he doesn't know what he's getting into, but Pote escorts him into the car. Teresa says that Dumas took two of his men last night and she wants them back. Bobby says that he doesn't know shit about that.

George and Pote beat Bobby up to try to get the location of the Jimenezes as Teresa watches.

In the swamp, night has fallen. They finally find the birdwatcher, who falls into the swamp after they shoot him. Boaz says the alligators will get him. Boaz asks why Javier is here because they were kings in Mexico. Boaz says the only reason he helped him out today is because he broke one of Teresa's rules for him and they're family. The reason that he has been giving him shit is because he misses Javier. Seriously. Javier hugs him and Boaz kisses his cheek. Javier offers to get menudo on him. After one last look at the dead birdwatcher, he follows after Boaz.

Judge Cecil Lafayette knocks on the glass pane of the door and greets Kelly Anne, calling himself a friend of Teresa's. Kelly Anne says that she doesn't know him and asks how he got in there. He introduces his associate Detective Randall Green and instructs him to show her his credentials. She opens the door and asks what he wants. He's there to speak to her to tell her that if Teresa wants to know his secrets she should ask because he's an open book. Spotting Tony, he asks after his name and wants to know if he's Teresa's son. Kelly Anne quickly interrupts saying that no, he's not and that he needs to leave. Lafayette tells Kelly Anne to make sure to get his message to Teresa. She tries calling Teresa but she doesn't answer.

Bobby begs Teresa *please.* George tells him not to talk to her or even look at her. Teresa says to stop. She just wants to find them and asks if Bobby will help her. He asks for a drink and Pote gets him one as George unties him under Teresa's orders.

George notes that Bobby is stalling, advancing on him. Bobby throws his glass at George and they struggle with George's gun. Teresa backs up so Pote is next to her, protecting her. A fire goes off and blood spatters onto Teresa's white sweater.

Bobby has been shot. They know that if he dies they'll never see Javier again so Teresa tries to call a doctor, but it's too late.

Javier notes that they were on private property. René's body is still in the trunk.

At the house, Tony can't sleep. Kelly Anne is studying Louisiana law because she misses practicing. Tony keeps having these nightmares about a guy coming into his room and shooting him. It feels so real, like he can feel the bullet going into his chest. Kelly Anne says that she's been sober for six months and she keeps having dreams that she's relapsed. As she speaks, Pote, George, and Teresa are shown dealing with the aftermath of Bobby's death.

Bobby's phone rings and Teresa is shocked to see Javier and Boaz back. *¿Que pasó aquí?*

## Characters

* Teresa Mendoza
* Eddie Brucks
* Pote Galvez
* Tony Parra
* Javier Jimenez
* Boaz Jimenez
* Kelly Anne Van Awken
* Judge Cecil Lafayette
* Chicho
* Detective Green
* Emilia (mentioned)

## Quotes

* Kelly Anne Van Awken: Sometimes life can get real dark and it can get hard to tell the difference between reality and a nightmare. You know I have nightmares too. I’ve been sober for six months and I keep dreaming that I relapse and it feels very real. You see, I got a second chance at life just like you did but we’re still trying to figure out how to run away from our past as we’ll do anything to do it. Close your eyes and envision something different but then your eyes open and we’re still stuck with ourselves. So every morning I wake up and I pray to my higher power for help to accept the things I can’t change and for courage to change the things I can. You can’t run away from your past, okay. It’s a part of you, but the darkness, the nightmares, you’ve got to lock that away, cause it isn’t real and it’s only going to hurt us if we let it.
* Boaz Jimenez, to Javier Jimenez: You know the one thing I can’t figure out, primo? Why are you here? We were kings in Mexico, you gave all that up to come work for Teresa? Now you’ve got your head so far up her ass I can’t tell where you start and she ends.
* Boaz: Only gringos would sit around all day watching birds.
* Bobby: Marcel isn't a killer by nature. He's a businessman. You just gotta know how to speak his language.
* Judge Lafayette: Once this prison's complete we'll do a clean sweep of the city. Ms. Mendoza, Dumas, and all the rest of the riff-raff in our city will forever after call this home.

## Gallery

1/13*
1/2
## Quotes

* Eddie: It's 9am. What's the worst thing that could happen at the factory?
* Teresa: It's a declaration of war.
* George: I'm looking for Bourbon Street but I'm about as lost as a fart in a fan factory.

## Tweets

* Dailyn: This music score is everything. @raneyshockne
* Something tells us Teresa won’t be happy about this delivery.
* Dailyn: It is not oh happy day.
* Dailyn: Teresa is trying to stay under the radar, trying to have a normal life but it’s just not in the cards
* Ben Lobato: It's hard to be an ordinary girl on a date when you're a queenpin. Someone is always gunning for you...
* Writers: Co-writer @CoppelFernanda wrote a fun joke in this scene of #QueenOfTheSouth that got cut for time -- originally Boaz asked Siri for directions to the swamp but pronounced it "eh-swamp" and got mad when Siri misunderstood.
* Writers: Es una maldición. A curse.
* Molly: Pote doesn’t like Kelly Anne’s cookin?!?!
* Ben Lobato: How deep is your love? Try eating Chilaquiles with ketchup. The fact that Pote actually took a bite tells me everything I need to know.
* Queen of The South Writers: RT if you would not eat Kelly Anne's huevos rancheros
	+ Molly: I probably wouldnt eat them either tbh

## References

1. ↑ https://uproxx.com/tv/whats-on-tonight-baskets-fx-elementary/
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/CoppelFernanda/status/1144024222970331136
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/QueenOnUSA/status/1143977128586858498
4. ↑ https://twitter.com/BenjaminDLobato/status/1144427720232886272
5. ↑ https://twitter.com/dailynrod/status/1144425823283236865
6. ↑ https://twitter.com/QueenOnUSA/status/1144427278597840897
7. ↑ https://twitter.com/dailynrod/status/1144429134828806144
8. ↑ https://twitter.com/dailynrod/status/1144429943662637059
9. ↑ https://twitter.com/BenjaminDLobato/status/1144430232600006656
10. ↑ https://twitter.com/qotswriters/status/1144427713027084289
11. ↑ https://twitter.com/qotswriters/status/1144429716281028608
12. ↑ https://twitter.com/mollydollyy/status/1144427468364795905
13. ↑ https://twitter.com/BenjaminDLobato/status/1144428973298016256
14. ↑ https://twitter.com/qotswriters/status/1144427171349270533
15. ↑ https://twitter.com/mollydollyy/status/1144427736829579264