My prayers were answered: we got another Mini-Challenge this week. In the spirit of Paris is Burning, RuPaul threw open the library doors and gave the queens a chance to read each other for filth. Drag Race always incorporates the reading Mini-Challenge somewhere halfway through a season—y’know, once the queens have spent enough time cooped up together that they have plenty of dirt to dish. Funnygirls Jane, Myki, Darlene, and Nini got loads of laughs, while Kenya’s reads were hit-and-miss. Discord and Juicy brought Jane’s prophecy to life: the Florida girls can’t read. But Orlando-based Myki was the exception.
The reading challenge wasn’t the only bit of fun this week. By Episode Ten, the queens have been sequestered together for over two months in the Drag Race pressure cooker. The combination of exhaustion, adrenaline, and camaraderie manifested through some seriously entertaining antics.
Jane, forgetting Ciara’s name, gaslit a bemused Juicy into thinking there had been a queen named Crystal on the cast and that Juicy had sent her home in a lip-sync, which brought the rest of the cast to stitches. Later, the queens modeled wigs pulled from Darlene’s “mullet bag.” In Kenya’s words, “the emergency wig is something you can hit two times, and then you’re ready.” This is what makes Drag Race magical.
A Suitcase Full of Trash
We were teased with queens returning, but instead, we got… suitcases!? That’s right, it was a design challenge gimmick in which the seven remaining queens had to create party-worthy looks from the “leftovers” of the eliminated queens, a nice reprise of the first challenge’s “Reclaim, Renew, Rejoice” theme.
As the winner of the reading challenge, Myki Meeks got first pick, choosing her sister Briar’s suitcase. The navy blue fabrics inspired Myki to create a chic sequined snowsuit for an Après-ski Party. Darlene, who got Athena’s suitcase, created a breathtaking zebra-print minidress (complete with orange mullet) to the tune of VMAs After-Party. And Nini effortlessly channeled DD Fuego in an orange catsuit and boldly patterned caftan-bolero combo for a Fashion Week Garden Party.
Kenya, who got second pick, wisely chose design diva Vita’s suitcase. She was the belle of the ball with a bell-sleeved, bell-bottomed Disco Party ensemble, proving her sewing skills at last. Guest judge and legendary supermodel Iman called Kenya “the life of the party.”
Jane got Ciara’s suitcase, figuring that a design-minded queen would have a suitcase full of potential—but was devastated to find that Ciara left only fabric scraps. This was the point where the queens realized that their eliminated sisters may not have had their best interests in mind. Since each queen would have been prompted to pack a suitcase of materials to create a look from scratch, a strategic queen like Ciara would have realized that there would be a bait-and-switch—hence the suitcase “full of trash,” according to Jane.
Jane pushed her way through the stress and self-doubt, crafting an ingenious Grammys After-Party gown composed of complementary sequined fabric panels. RuPaul called it “a patchwork coat of many colors,” applauding Jane’s perseverance with limited materials. “What do you have to say to Ciara?” Ru asked Jane. “I will find her,” Jane promised.
It All Came Down to Shoes… and Safety Pins
Juicy got an offscreen warning from mama Athena not to choose Athena’s suitcase, so she chose her auntie Mia’s. Applying RuPaul’s critiques on creating a more curvaceous silhouette, she crafted a big-bootied Kylie jumpsuit with a harem pant and sleeves for a Miami Beach party. Iman called it “Miami meets Dubai,” and the only element the judges could nitpick on was Juicy’s choice of shoes.
Of the seven remaining queens, Discord had the last pick, ending up with Mandy Mango’s suitcase. She left Mandy’s bright yellow fabrics behind in favor of black and silver mesh held together with 800 safety pins. Iman called it “Sid Vicious meets Zandra Rhodes,” and paid Discord the highest of compliments by inviting her to pursue fashion design after Drag Race.
But the other queens called foul when RuPaul asked the dreaded question, “who should go home, and why?”
Everyone (except Discord) named Discord as deserving to go home next, with half the cast citing her mediocre track record, and the other half calling her out for cheating the challenge rules. For the challenge, the queens had been tasked with only using materials from their eliminated sister’s suitcase, but Discord’s 800 safety pins—not Mandy’s—prompted the scandal of the week, “SafetyPinGate.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at how Season 18’s “chronically safe” queen looked like she was about to be undone by safety pins. But the other queens’ hyperfocus on that particular detail was a testament to the strength of Discord’s look.
The Last Two Standing
By the time the critiques were over, it was maddeningly unclear who was in danger of going home. RuPaul herself even called the judging a “love-fest.”
Nini, Myki, and Darlene were declared safe. Despite Juicy’s shoe faux pas and Discord’s safety pins, they were also granted safety. This left Kenya and Jane, who had gotten rave reviews, leaving mouths agape across the stage.
Surprise (not): it was a non-elimination episode. Kenya and Jane were declared the top two of the week, with a very relieved Kenya calling out the gag, “Ru is so fucking messy, bitch.”
The top two queens lip-synced to Patti LaBelle’s “Feels Like Another One,” and it was a truly epic matchup. Both queens brought high energy and precise lip-syncs, but to my eye (and Ru’s), Jane’s lip-sync was a snatch bit tighter, especially on Patti’s characteristic ad libs and vocal runs. She was awarded her well-deserved third win of the season, launching her leagues ahead of her competition.
Next week, the legendary Alyssa Edwards (or, as RuPaul tells it, “Alicia Edwards”) returns to the Drag Race stage, where our Season 18 queens are tasked with roasting her—it’s an episode you won’t want to miss!