Maroons five-eighth Johnathan Thurston was in complete control throughout and finished with a record nine goals, while it was left to Hodges -- chief Blues antagoniser -- to cap the scoring with a cameo goal-kicking appearance at the death.
Centre Michael Jennings salvaged some pride for the Blues when he picked up a loose pass to race more than 60 metres to score their only try, but it did nothing to hide the fact that Laurie Daley's men were outclassed and out-enthused in all areas.
NSW have now lost the last six Origin deciders and have not managed to win game three with the series at 1-1 since 2005.
Much of the pre-game talk centred around the superiority of the visitors' youthful and aggressive forwards yet it was Queensland's comparatively ageing pack -- led by captain Cameron Smith, Matt Scott and Corey Parker, together with Papalii and Warriors prop Jacob Lillyman -- who dominated the middle.
NSW had the better of the early exchanges, with errors from Hodges and Gagai giving them back-to-back sets before Nate Myles was penalised in front of the posts to give Hodkinson first points after five minutes.
Queensland then took over, with a penalty against Aaron Woods allowing Thurston to level the scores and kick-start the Maroons' onslaught.
The momentum shifted when Scott jolted the ball loose from Blues winger Will Hopoate's grasp and numbers out wide saw Gagai dive over; video replays confirmed the four-pointer.
The Blues were put under immense pressure and did well to cope after losing Warriors backrower Ryan Hoffman to a calf strain, with interchange forward Boyd Cordner filling the breach.
NSW enforcer David Klemmer entered the fray but was outshone by his interchange rival, Papalii, when the Canberra back-rower stormed on to a Thurston short-ball to score out wide.
Ill-discipline and errors continued to keep NSW pinned in their own half, with Beau Scott's dangerous charge on Smith gifting Thurston another two points, and a tip-tackle on Corey Parker saw Trent Merrin placed on report.
Queensland rammed home their territorial advantage on the next set when Inglis ran off Thurston to extend his Origin try-scoring tally to 17, before the hosts headed to the sheds 20 points clear.
The Maroons maintained their focus after the interval and refused to give the Blues even the slightest glimpse of hope, finishing the job in memorable style with a gleeful second-half point-scoring spree.
Queensland 52 (Gagai, Papalii, Inglis, Gillett, Morgan, Boyd, Chambers, Guerra tries, Thurston 8, Hodges cons, Thurston 2 pens).
New South Wales 6 (Jennings try, Hodkinson pen)
