All-Stars 11: Grand Finale Rucap
- Faiz Faisal
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
Another season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars has officially come to an end, and we have a brand new queen entering the Drag Race Hall of Fame.
Condragulations, Crystal Methyd!
After weeks of brackets, points, lip syncs, and plenty of twists, Crystal walked away with the $200,000 grand prize and the All Stars 11 crown. As someone who has been rooting for Crystal ever since the Season 12 finale, I couldn't be happier to see her finally get her flowers.
That said...
While I'm celebrating Crystal's victory, I also think this season highlighted some bigger issues with the current state of All Stars.
Let's get into it.
The Season as a Whole
First things first—I actually enjoyed All Stars 11 much more than All Stars 10.
The cast was fantastic, the runway packages were consistently strong, and almost every queen had moments to shine. From Crystal Methyd and Joey Jay to Jasmine Kennedie, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, A'keria C. Davenport, Dawn, Kennedy Davenport and Hershii LiqCour-Jeté, this season was packed with talent.
The Tournament of All Stars format was certainly ambitious. While I appreciated the show's willingness to experiment, I'm still not convinced the bracket system is the future of All Stars. It often made the competition feel fragmented, and by the time all the queens merged, it felt like we'd already watched several mini seasons instead of one cohesive competition.
The Finale
This year's finale took the form of another LaLaPaRuZa Smackdown for the Crown, this time featuring an all-disco playlist.
Because of their track records, Crystal Methyd and Jasmine Kennedie received byes straight into the second round.
Round One
Silky Nutmeg Ganache defeated Dawn to Star Love.
Joey Jay defeated A'keria C. Davenport to Diana Ross' The Boss.
Round Two
Joey Jay continued her impressive run by defeating Silky Nutmeg Ganache to The Main Event/Fight.
Crystal Methyd made her first appearance of the night and defeated Jasmine Kennedie to Knock on Wood.
Final Lip Sync
The final showdown saw Crystal Methyd and Joey Jay lip sync to Donna Summer's iconic "MacArthur Park."
RuPaul crowned Crystal Methyd as the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 11.
Condragulations, queen!
My Thoughts on the Finale
I'll be honest...
This finale didn't really do much for me.
Compared to many previous finales, it lacked that feeling of anticipation and excitement. Everything moved so quickly that there wasn't much time to build emotional momentum before we were already crowning a winner.
It wasn't a bad finale.
It just wasn't a particularly memorable one.
When I think back to some of Drag Race's most iconic finales, they usually have one or two moments that instantly become part of the show's history.
I'm not sure this finale had that.
Crystal Methyd Deserved the Crown
Now, before anyone gets the wrong idea...
Crystal absolutely deserved to win.
She's one of the most original visual artists the franchise has ever produced. Every runway tells a story, her performances are uniquely "Crystal," and she has shown tremendous growth since Season 12.
What frustrates me isn't Crystal winning.
It's how the season sometimes felt edited in a way that made her victory seem inevitable.
Whether intentional or not, heavily emphasizing one queen's winner narrative can unintentionally diminish how audiences perceive their achievements. Crystal didn't need that.
Her drag was strong enough to speak for itself, and I think her journey would have felt even more satisfying if the storytelling had allowed the competition to feel a little more open.
It's Time to Slow Down All Stars
If there's one thing I hope World of Wonder seriously considers after this season, it's this:
Please make All Stars a biennial event.
We've now had back-to-back All Stars seasons, and while there are still countless talented queens who deserve another shot, the franchise doesn't need a new All Stars every single year.
Part of what made earlier All Stars seasons feel special was the anticipation.
Queens had years to evolve.
They built successful careers, refined their drag, developed new skills, and saved enough money to return with runway packages that truly reflected their growth.
When queens return too quickly, that evolution can naturally be less dramatic. Giving more time between seasons could allow future casts to showcase even bigger transformations and help each All Stars feel like a true event.
Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
Final Thoughts
Despite my criticisms, I still had a great time with All Stars 11.
The cast was incredibly entertaining, the lip syncs delivered, and there were several standout challenge performances throughout the season.
Most importantly...
We got a deserving winner.
Congratulations once again to Crystal Methyd on becoming the newest member of the Drag Race Hall of Fame.
Now it's time for the franchise to take a deep breath, let the queens grow, and remind us why earning an All Stars invitation should always feel like a major milestone—not just the next stop on the Drag Race calendar.
Here's hoping the next chapter learns from both the successes and shortcomings of Season 11.
See you at the next "Gentlemen, start your engines!"
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