Queen of the South Season 5 Episode 1 Review: Fantasmas
Christine Orlando
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The final season begins with Queen of the South Season 5 Episode 1, and I'm as disappointed that it's ending as I am excited to see what's in store for Teresa and her crew.
Of course, I keep remembering those flash-forwards of Teresa getting shot and of her shooting her lover whose face we couldn't see.
Will those play out in the end? It's anyone's guess.
But this installment begins with Teresa running through the streets wearing her classic white suit, cutting up her bare feet as she chases down a young woman who could have easily been her at the start of the series.
There was a time when I was always running for my life. Being chased, barely surviving. Now, I’m the one who does the hunting.
Teresa
Why the bloody, bare feet? I know other series have women giving chase in stilettos, but it's ridiculous. If you tried that in real life, you'd break an ankle, which made me appreciate Teresa likely having ditched her heels here.
Will we ever find out who this young woman was and why she and Teresa were trying to kill one another? No idea, so we'll just have to move forward.
James is back! And as happy as I am to see him, I also don't blame George for being suspicious.
Before you go drawing any bubble baths or making PB&Js, I’ve got a few questions for you, 007.
George
James has been gone for a year without a word. Now they know he's been embedded with CIA contractor Devon Finch, supposedly to protect Teresa.
It's a good story, and Pote seems to buy it, but Teresa isn't naive enough to think this couldn't be a setup, and since George is already leery, she put him on the case.
King George and Teresa's relationship has become one of the many highlights of the series. There's something special about Teresa that encourages loyalty and respect from her crew, but there's something unique about her and George's connection.
I know things are complicated between you and James, but it’s real simple between you and me. There’s only two women I’ve loved in my life, my momma and you. You’re like the sister I never had, so I am always going to be looking out for you.
George
James' return made for another interesting interaction as he was shocked to see Kelly Anne back on the team.
There was the acknowledgment that James hadn't killed Kelly Anne after Teresa had ordered him to which made James and Kelly Anne's first moments so amusing...
Kelly Anne: Thank you for not murdering me.
James: You’re welcome.
If Teresa telling James that Kelly Anne was now her attorney wasn't enough to drive the point home that they trusted her, Pote made it clear that Kelly Anne was considered family.
Does James have any clue just how close Pote and Kelly Anne have become? Only if Devon Finch and James have been keeping their eyes on Teresa very closely.
Even Kelly Anne wanted to make James aware of his place in the hierarchy of this organization.
If you plan on sticking around, you just need to remember that Teresa’s the boss, so next time she gives you an order, you better follow it.
Kelly Anne
That Queen of the South quote was darkly humorous because the last time James disobeyed an order, it was to kill Kelly Anne!
Boaz was back from Miami, and for a character I used to despise, I was oddly thrilled to see him return. I used to want to see Cecil in prison, but now, I don't care who takes him out, Teresa, Pote, Boaz...whomever as long as he's gone.
There was some truth to what Boaz told Teresa; if she would have taken Judge Lafayette out at the start, Tony, Emilia, and Javier would likely all still be alive.
Teresa was trying to avoid a Federal investigation into the murder of a judge, but she could have gotten creative and made it look like a horrible accident. Cecil certainly deserves to fall victim to one.
It's clear that whatever peace deal sacrificing Javier was supposed to broker evaporated with Davis' death, and now Marcel Dumas is the collateral damage.
Back to Boaz. If he didn't respect Teresa as the boss, he would have murdered Lafayette already, and maybe Teresa too. But can Boaz control his cousin, Angel, who is clearly chomping at the bit to hurt someone in Javier's name?
Boaz's interaction with Lafayette was intriguing. He seemed to be scoping the judge out, seeing how close he could get to him and formulating a plan.
Lafayette: They say the sins of the father are passed down. I wish my sins had been passed down. If Davis had been a son of a bitch, a bull, like me, he’d still be alive. But, he took after his mother, God rest her soul.
Boaz: I was angry for a long time. Then one day, I woke up at peace.
Lafayette: Peace? Not really my nature.
Boaz: I never said it lasted.
Lafayette: What took its place?
Boaz: Revenge.
Lafayette: Now that’s something I can drink to.
Is Lafayette pretending Davis' suicide was really murder because it's an easy way to get revenge against Marcel for siding with Teresa, or because he sees suicide as weak and having it made public would be embarrassing to him?
Perhaps a bit of both.
Finally, we get to Teresa trying to finalize the deal for the waterfront property.
I was surprised she never asked whom she was bidding against. Who would run the price of the property up that high? Is it a coincidence, or is it someone trying to mess with her?
And does anyone else suspect that Oksana may actually be the elusive Kostya?
Are the Russians out to kill Teresa? I know George said something about the Russians, but he never completed the sentence.
Also, George recognized the tattoos on the member of the kill team but didn't say from wear. Perhaps I'm wrong, but they looked suspiciously like something harkening back to El Santos' cult in Bolivia.
But I have bigger, more important questions about this final season.
Will Camila and Isabela Vargas return? Camila was such a critical character during the first three seasons of this series that I'll feel let down if we don't see her or Isabela once again.
And I know I should brace myself for the death of key characters as the series winds down. This is the narco world, and people frequently die and in horribly violent ways. It wouldn't be realistic if everyone on Teresa's team made it out alive, although I'd happily suspend my disbelief for a happier ending.
Your turn, TV Fanatics...
- Did anyone else notice how often Teresa flips her hair when she's stressed? And there was a lot of hair flipping in this episode.
- Will Teresa be able to save Marcel Dumas from Lafayette's wrath?
- How long will Boaz hold back on getting his revenge against the judge?
- Is James still loyal to Teresa?
- Do you hope to see Camila or Isabela return during this final season?
- And who do you think won't be alive when it's over?
Hit that big, blue, SHOW COMMENTS button down below to let us know what you think, and then check back in for our reviews on every episode of the final season of Queen of the South.
And you can watch Queen of the South online here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
