This week, the queens took on one of Drag Race’s most challenging tasks: delivering a solo monologue in the Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent Monologues challenge. But before they got into their storytelling mode, RuPaul threw in a mini-challenge—in pairs, the queens had to write a Drag Bio for each other. And of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of Drag Race without a little drama!
Going into this episode, Lexi Love and Onya Nurve were strong contenders, and their pairing seemed like a strategic move on Lexi’s part. However, the tension between Lexi and Sam Star was apparent after Lexi didn’t pick Sam for the challenge. Sam felt slighted, considering their close bond, but Lexi justified her decision, stating that she wanted to push herself with Onya as her partner.
The queens paired up as follows:
Jewels Sparkles & Suzie Toots
Lana Ja'Rae & Sam Star
Lexi Love & Onya Nurve
After some witty and shady bios, Jewels Sparkles won the mini-challenge, which meant she got to determine the order of performances for the main challenge.
The monologue themes were then assigned among the pairs:
Jewels Sparkles – Out of this World
Suzie Toots – Learned the Hard Way
Sam Star – Triggered
Lana Ja'Rae – Lost
Onya Nurve – Obsessed!
Lexi Love – Payback's a Bitch
Runway & Performance Highlights
Jewels and Suzie had engaging stories, but their performances were too structured and almost too serious. On the other hand, Lexi and Onya fully leaned into the absurdity, embracing RuPaul’s love for over-the-top comedy, which ultimately worked in their favor.
For the runway, the queens celebrated the 10th anniversary of the “Ugliest Dress Ever” theme from Season 7. While most queens leaned into the campy, hideous aesthetic, Sam Star completely missed the mark. The dress was well-executed, featuring crystal blood detailing, making it look more like a finale gown than an intentionally ugly dress.
Bottom Two Lip Sync
The bottom two queens were Sam Star and Lana Ja'Rae, who battled it out to Dua Lipa’s “Illusions.” Lana gave an outstanding performance, but in a controversial decision, Sam was saved due to her stronger track record.
This decision sparked discussions about whether track records actually matter in lip-sync battles. Fans have seen instances where past performances were irrelevant, like when Mhiya won her lip sync against Plasma. At the end of the day, Drag Race is as much about production choices as it is about talent, so it’s best to enjoy the ride rather than dissect the logic behind it!
With Lana gone, only five queens remain. Next week is the makeover challenge, a classic pre-finale episode. Will it be a Top 4 or Top 3 situation like Season 16? We’ll have to wait and see!
Who do you think will make it to the finale? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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