This episode aired December 8, 2019.
Kaz, playing a gambling game with several pirates, has a winning streak so good that several of them are angry, having asked him to play because they thought he'd make easy pickings. As Kaz attempts to smugly bow out, this angers Nikto pirate Leoz so much that he jumps up on the table, intones something in a foreign language and licks his hand before grabbing Kaz by the end. This shocks everyone around the table, and Neeku informs Kaz that he's been cursed. Kaz laughs it off, but is then forced to leave Aunt Z's in a hurry after accidentally plugging Gamorrean pirate Gork in the head with a cup that flew out of his hand. Heading to the marketplace, Kaz and Neeku encounter an exploding light and find the Ugnaught soup vendor is out of stew, all of which furthers Neeku's conviction of the existence of the curse.
Tropes:
- Alliterative Title: "Kaz's Curse", sound-wise.
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Subverted. Kaz denying that curses exist seems like this until Mika Grey gets him to realise that he does believe in luck and is just deep in denial. It helps that he's previously stated he doesn't believe in the Force either.
- Asteroid Thicket: The Colossus travels through an asteroid field because it's the quickest way to get out of territory controlled by the Guavian Death Gang, and they don't want to be spotted. Kaz, Torra and Hype are sent ahead as scouts to plot the safest path, but Kaz's bad luck means he slips up and allows a Guavian scout to escape. When the Death Gang then attack, the Aces have to hold them off until they're out of the asteroid field and can jump to hyperspace.
- Beginner's Luck: Several pirates ask Kaz to play a game of chance because they think he'll be an easy mark, but this trope intervenes and Kaz instead has an exceptionally lucky winning streak, which angers Nikto pirate Leoz so much that he eventually outright curses him.
- The Bully: The Guavian Death Gang tell the Colossus that they must pay a toll of 1 million credits or they will take the Colossus and turn all their residents in to the First Order. Captain Doza chooses neither and the Aces kill all but two of the attacking Guavian Death Gang's ships.
- Call-Back: Kaz mentions his lucky trophy, which Mika takes as evidence that he does believe in luck.
- The Cameo: Gorrak Wiles, late of Rucklin's racing team, now works as a mechanic at the Aces' hangar.
- Clap Your Hands If You Believe: Mika tells Kaz that curses primarily have power if you believe in them, which is how he ultimately gets over the situation, with some help.
- Continuity Nod:
- Mika's "prophecy" to Bolza Grool about "many small, sharp teeth gnawing at [his] insides" is reminiscent of the Bendu's words to Thrawn about "many arms wrapped around you in a cold embrace".
- "Kaz-tastrophe" turns up again.
- Eaten Alive: Bolza Grool takes Mika telling him about small teeth gnawing at his insides as meaning that his gorgs are going to eat him.
- "Eureka!" Moment: When Kaz asserts that he doesn't believe in curses and is just doing this for Neeku's sake, Mika asks him if he ever had a Good Luck Charm. He answers yes, and realizes that on some level he does believe in luck, for better and for worse.
- Gravity Screw: A malfunction with the Fireball's gravity causes Kaz to be pressed against the viewscreen, and makes it difficult for him to act about the Guavian ship that sees him and flies away to report.
- I'm Not Afraid of You: While Kaz claims to not believe in the curse, Mika helps him realize that he does and the denial is only making things worse. It's only when he admits it and then refuses it anyway that he's able to get over it.
- Insult Backfire: When Leoz accuses Kaz of cheating, Kaz points out that they are playing with Leoz's dice, even one of Leo’s friends Drell remark that Kaz has a point.
- The Jinx: Leoz's "curse" is terrible fortune.
- Kick the Dog: Leoz curses Kaz just for winning his credits fair and square.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Kaz gets back at Leoz at the end by handing him Mika's talisman and claiming that it's cursed.
- Magic Feather: Mika hands Kaz what might be a talisman, but readily admits to him that curses are heavily influenced by whether or not you believe in them and it's more of a placebo than anything. When he loses it, he's able to power through anyway.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Given the existence of the Force in the Star Wars 'verse, it's left unclear whether Kaz's curse was completely psychological, given the unusual amount of bad luck he seems to have after Leoz puts the mojo on him.
- Oh, Crap!: The reactions of everyone else in the room when Leoz puts a curse on Kaz.
- Phony Psychic: Mika Grey has set up on the station as one, saying vaguely ominous things to her customers in exchange for credits. She's a bit more forthright to Kaz.
- Sore Loser: Kaz dubs Leoz one after he curses him. Leoz even accuses Kaz of cheating, even after Kaz remarks that they are playing with Leoz's dice (even Drell remark that Kaz has a point).
- Superstition Episode: Kaz (supposedly) gets a curse put on him. He denies it's doing anything, but everyone else seems to believe it, and Mika eventually gets him to realize that he is afraid of it. Mika even lampshades at the end that pilots tend to be a superstitious lot.
- Tempting Fate: Kaz, on a high from a winning streak, tells Neeku that he thinks the pirates he's playing against won't cause any trouble. But then he angers Leoz so much while deciding to bow out that the pirate curses him...
- There Are No Coincidences: Neeku becomes increasingly paranoid of every bad thing that happens around Kaz, claiming it's all down to the curse.
