Ladies and gentlemen, meet your new queen…
We made it to the end. After of the longest three months in history we have made it through another season of Drag Race. We have met and fallen in love with a new group of queens that will live in our hearts forever. While this season did give us some of the most talented group of queens, it was also one of the mildest seasons of the show to date. And while this cast of queens got us closer to RuPaul’s Best Friend Race than we could have ever imagined, it also gave us one of the biggest controversies in the show’s history. Side note, I am still shocked over the revelation in episode 12 that Sherry Pie is only 27-years old. Of course, because there is currently an unstoppable virus controlling the whole world, and our social lives this summer, this season’s grand finale won’t be at a spectacular theater but filmed remotely from each of the queen’s homes. What else would we expect from 2020 at this point? Let’s get into it!
Right off the top all of our season 12 queens look absolutely stunning. Our top three has brought their best looks, including Crystal who is dressed like a human sized pinata. Rupaul is back dressed in a luchador mask. Ru explains that the queens will be performing three separate lip syncs to get to the final crown. All of our favourite judges are back from their homes as well. I’ve missed them. After our judges are introduced, we got some celebrity shout outs thanking the show for helping them through quarantine. As Whoopi said… “America needs their queens”, and I have to agree.
Our first aspect of this finale is a one on one with each of the final three. First is Crystal who has worked her way through this competition from being an underdog, all the way to the top. Ru opens her interview with one last DeBarge music moment. Crystal made her way through the competition by applying the judge’s critiques each week but also staying true to herself. Crystal receives heartwarming messages from her parents, and abuela. Crystal has been so wonderfully weird and consistently fun to watch through this whole season. I can’t wait to see what she serves us in the lip syncs.
Up next is miss Gigi Goode who has been serving us camp glamour since week one. She’s a fashion queen, but she’s also a campy comedy queen, which gave her an undeniable edge this season. Gigi opens her interview by calling Ru “bitch” and that power and confidence is what got her all the way to the top two. Gigi gets a special message from her gorgeous mother and then delivers an emotional message to her younger self, where she credits her mom’s support for helping her grow into the queen we see before us. Gigi is confident in her performance throughout the season. She knows she’s meant to be in the final. Slay Gi.
Finally we get our closer look at Jaida Essence Hall. We saw Jaida really grow throughout the season. Her tenacity to make it to the final has carried her through, and her emotional messages from her brother and father, are followed by an even more emotional message to her grandmother. She says that the character she’s built for herself with drag is built on all the memories of glamour she shared with her grandmother. In Jaida’s message to her younger self she says her differences make her stronger, and to remember to love yourself, always. Ru for some reason again comments on the small sizes of the queen’s apartments, but I have no doubts that these three will make it work for them. We then are presented with a beautiful tribute to Jaqueline Wilson. She was adored by all of the queens, and will be remembered as an inspiring force behind the scenes on the show.
Following the one-on-ones, we get a special lesson in social distancing by the heart of this season Heidi N Closet. It was probably some of the most relatable content we’ve gotten from any show in the past three months. I too have been talking to all of my wig stands. After Heidi’s guide to surviving the pandemic it’s time for the queens to do their first lip sync of the night. It’s a closeup lip sync, meaning we only see their faces. All three of our top queens are serving face. This is going to be a really close call. The second lip sync the top queens are each performing separately. Following this round one will be eliminated. Crystal is up first and performs to Nelly Furtado’s I’m Like a Bird dressed as various birds. It’s creative, it’s weird, It’s exactly what we expect from Crystal. Next, Gigi performs A-ha’s Take on Me, where she’s done an amazing job at recreating the music video. I’m gagged. Jaida is last with her lip sync to Ciara’s Get Up. Above looking absolutely stunning, Jaida is serving dance and hair-ography henny.
Following the first two lip syncs we get some critiques from our favourite judges. Of course, It’s the finale so there wasn’t a bad thing to say about any of them, but we still have to narrow it down to two queens. JUST KIDDING!! Ru needs to see more, so we’re going battle royale with all three of the queens. But one person will be crowned right now. Nina West and country legend Dolly Parton are here to crown this season’s Miss Congeniality. Not surprisingly Heidi takes the Miss Congeniality prize. She was the genuine heart of the season and I’m so excited that she’s being recognized for it. We also got a video message from reigning queen Yvie Oddly, who showed up and showed out with some bedazzled sweatpants to talk about how incredible her life has been over the past year since winning the season 11 crown.
It’s finally time to see our top three queens battle for the third and final time for the crown. The queens are lip syncing to Survivor by Destiny’s Child, and I can’t think of a better song to close out this competition. All three queens want this crown so bad, and all three are so deserving. After a passionate three-way lip sync, and a whole season of ups and downs, Ru declares that the winner of Season 12 of Drag Race is… Jaida Essence Hall!!! Way to go Queen! We can’t wait to see you slay your reign!
What we’ll see next week: Start your engines, because All Stars 5 is coming!
Missed a week?: Read our RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 recaps right here!
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