Everything went sideways on Queen of the South Season 2 Episode 9, as one Vargas decided to go out of business while another unexpectedly ended up in handcuffs.

The best part was that I never expected either of those outcomes.

I was questioning whether Epifanio’s head was really in the game even before his heart attack, but the near death experience definitely had him looking at his business and his family with a new perspective.

His biggest conundrum has become what to do about Colonel Cortez.

On the one hand, Epifanio believes that Cortez is the one man who can protect him from his enemies, and in that capacity, the Colonel has already proven himself capable. 

In other matters, Cortez acts like a dog who has slipped his leash. He had Manuel killed. He’s made veiled threats against Isabela, and despite Epifanio’s direct orders, he’s decided that Camila must die.

Epifanio: That bastard! I gave him strict orders to leave you in peace.
Camila: You chose a deranged butcher as your partner, and you're shocked he challenged your authority? You have lots of flaws, but stupidity and weakness are not on the list. Put your house in order, Epifanio. I will handle Isabela.

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But who thought that putting his house on order would mean selling off his business to Boaz?

Boaz is a man I wouldn’t trust to walk my dog, never mind hand over a billion dollar drug empire, and I certainly wouldn’t expect him to honor his agreement to respect Epifanio’s governorship, no matter what Epifanio has to hold over him.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Boaz took power and then decided to have Epifanio killed if he ever got in his way. 

I know Epifanio is concerned about his daughter and his own future, but selling out to Boaz, a man willing to kill his own brother for power doesn’t seem like a smart move. 

Elsewhere, Isabela continued to act like a rebellious teenager as she lashed out at Camila once again.

The girl manages to get brattier with each passing week.

You pushed him over the edge and that's why he ended up in the hospital. You should have been the one with the heart attack, but I guess you need a heart for that to actually happen.

Isabela

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The strain of knowing her daughter was slipping further and further away was starting to affect Camila. When she tore into Teresa over their negotiations with Devon Finch, I was relieved that Teresa kept her mouth shut. 

Camila was redirecting her anger at the only person available, but if Teresa had tried to fight her on it, things could have gone much worse. 

And despite Camila’s dismissive rant about Finch only seeing Teresa as a whore, his interactions with her didn’t come across that way.

Devon: How did you manage to claw your way out of Culiacán?
Teresa: A dead boyfriend, his gun, and an opportunity.
Devon: That sounds like more teeth than claw. What was the opportunity?
Teresa: Camila.

• Permalink: Camila.

Of course, there’s nothing like a deadly common enemy to pull people together, and this time, Teresa didn’t even hesitate to pull the trigger and literally take one of Cortez’s men out at the knees. 

It had a bit of a humbling effect on Camila who delivered my favorite Queen of the South quote of the night…

Isabela is using drugs, Teresa. The irony is not lost on me.

Camila

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I’ll give Cortez credit; he knows Isabela is Camila and Epifanio’s weakness and he has no qualms using her against them. 

I really thought that Teresa was going to use the DEA as a distraction to get her and Camila out of there, and maybe that was her plan, but it didn’t turn out that way. 

The move saved Camila’s life but will her lawyer be able to get her out of jail?

Just how much real evidence does the task force have against her and how much are they willing to manufacture to keep her in custody?

It sounds like Cole is going to have to leave that dinner with Kelly Anne after all. 

And please tell me that James and Pote will be back for Queen of the South Season 2 Episode 10 because they were sorely missed, and Camila needs her team working together now more than ever.

Was there anything in past episodes that can help us figure out what’s to come? You can always go back and watch Queen of the South online here at TV Fanatic.

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.