‘Queen of the South’ Season 5 Episode 3 Recap: Teresa Betrays a Friend
Each season of Queen of the South feels like it may be a struggle for Teresa to reach the finish line. There are always enemies and obstacles stacked against her around every corner. And just when it feels like she’ll get a bit of relief, the rug is snatched from under her.
Such was the case in episode 3 of Queen of the South where everything seemed to go wrong — even Teresa herself. Forget about Kostya. Episode 2 ended with Judge Lafayette being forced into his car by Boaz, and that one moment kicked off a chain reaction of events. Here’s a recap of the show.
[Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Queen of the South Season 5 Episode 3, “No Te Pierdas La Cabeza”]
Boaz turns everything upside down for Teresa
Teresa and her crew are spinning their wheels to find Lafayette’s dirty bank accounts. She’s ready to divide the $3 million she pays him between her workers and the Innocence Project for the incarcerated kids.
Pote and Kelly Anne have a sidebar about the baby news, and she wants to say something but stops herself. Pote is very protective and promises nothing bad will happen to their baby. He wants to tell Teresa, but Kelly Anne pauses that.
The entire city is waiting for Lafayette’s press conference, including Marcel, who’s holed up in a hiding place. He received Teresa’s message. Around the same time, Teresa receives word that there are problems with shipments from Sinoloa, and no one can find Boaz.
Lafayette is no-show and the press conference is canceled. Newscasters announce a $2 million reward for Marcel, and he sees it on TV. He calls Teresa who promptly sends someone to pick him up: James. The plan is to get Marcel out of the country.
They have no idea where Lafayette is. Pote wants to release the proof that Lafayette is corrupt, but they need more records. Boaz struts in holding a box and proves that when he said he wanted the judge’s head, he meant it.
It’s Lafayette’s severed head! “I’m sorry, Jefa,” he says and drops the box on her desk.
The police want blood
He has no idea that he messed up several arrangements. Pote kicks him to the floor and points a gun at him. Teresa is stunned. Then the police storm into her office. That mean captain is seething and accuses Teresa of killing Lafayette. He says the judge’s car “looked like a slaughterhouse.”
She calmly denies any wrongdoing and the captain slides the box to the side, making everyone nervous. He threatens fire and brimstone until the murderer is behind bars, and he’s convinced it’s her. He leaves.
Boaz is ready to take his lumps, and Teresa screams for them to remove him from her sight. She instructs Pote to follow up with Miami about business.
James picks up Marcel and after their introductions, Marcel insists on making a stop. James warns it’s not wise.
Teresa is stressed about business and the murder wrap. Kelly Anne suggests turning Boaz in, but Pote is concerned that he’ll snitch about the business. He suggests Marcel, but Teresita doesn’t want to betray an innocent man.
Pote, Teresa, and Kelly Anne are in the car when Pote learns about the shipment holdups. Boaz usually handles the bribery, but Teresa tells Pote to pay whoever they need to.
Marcel makes a dumb move
Elsewhere, Marcel meets with his mentor, Lucien, under a bridge to say goodbye. It’s a warm moment and he hands Marcel a bag of cash. James and Marcel leave but realize they’re being tailed. A high speed chase ensues with a cop in an unmarked car.
Teresa meets up with someone they helped in season 4 and tries to convince him to take the wrap for Lafayette’s son’s murder. “You want me to repay you for saving my life,” he says. He’s not taking the blame and explains they only want Marcel. Teresa and crew reluctantly leave.
Back at headquarters, Boaz is in the basement as Teresa tries to figure out what to do with him. Kelly Anne figures out that the judge is probably keeping a ledger for his bribes. Now, there’s a mission to find it. Teresa wants Pote to find Boaz’s underlings to feel them out just in case she replaces him.
James finally outwits the cops and heads to a safe house. He scolds Marcel about the pit stop and implies Lucien sold him out. Marcel is offended, but James points out it’s beneficial for Lucien’s business to get him out the picture.
The supply chain from Sinaloa is messed up, and Teresa is torn between using Boaz or using new recruits. Kelly Anne talks to Boaz who offers to make a few calls. He can tell she’s pregnant and congratulates her. When she denies it, he advises her that bringing a child into this life is bad, and recalls losing Kique.
Kelly Anne rolls out. On her way out the door, she tells Pote she’ll only be gone a couple hours, but he gets suspicious. She’s lying about where she’s headed.
Teresa makes a difficult choice
Teresa takes Boaz his phone, and he’s willing to fix the mess. He’s serious about being accountable for not following orders about Lafayette. He offers to lay out how he runs things by writing everything down, including his contacts. Teresa is still contemplative when she receives a call from James about the tail.
She updates him on Lafayette’s death and plans to send another car. James knows Marcel will think they set him up; he hangs up. Marcel sees the murder announcement on the news and pulls a gun on James.
James explains what happened to Lafayette and Marcel guesses it was Boaz. Marcel wants to leave and expects Teresa to turn Boaz in.
Boaz tells Teresa he’s ready to die and understands it’s just business. James is still trying to convince Marcel not to risk his life by hitting the road. James advocates for Teresa and says she’s been working hard to prove Marcel’s innocence. Marcel is skeptical and wants Boaz to take responsibility.
James tells him about the leverage, but Marcel calls Teresa to tell her to give them Boaz. She doesn’t answer because she’s talking to Boaz, who hands her a notebook with his operation. James is still pleading Teresa’s case and Marcel finally agrees to trust her, but thinks James is in love.
Teresa tells Boaz to go back to Miami. She warns him not to cross her again. But they’re interrupted by the angry police captain. He wants to arrest Boaz because they have him on video with the judge’s headless body.
Teresa offers to pay him off, but he wants to arrest her — until she says she was paying Lafayette $3 million a month. That changes his mind, but he still wants someone for the murder.
Teresa betrays Marcel
In a surprising twist, Teresa arrives at the safehouse — but the police walk in behind her. They arrest Marcel in what is the biggest betrayal ever. He’s beyond angry because he trusted her, and now James looks like a liar too. Teresa looks ashamed.
In another part of town, Pote follows Kelly Anne to a building. He bursts through the door with his gun cocked and quickly composes himself when he sees it’s an AA meeting.
Kelly Anne takes him aside and shares that she’s not worthy of being a mom because she’s an addict and a killer. Pote assures her she’s fine and she’s not alone. They have a tender moment.
By the end, Teresa vows to help Dumas, and James notes that he promised him he could trust her. As Boaz is shown riding off into the dark, Teresa is back home, taking a bump as she copes with her guilt.
