Warning: (obvious) spoilers for the season finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race ahead.
The season 10 finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race aired on VH-1 on Thursday. Aquaria possessed the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent required to reign as America’s Next Drag Superstar. (I really wanted the “Bodybuilder Barbie” Kameron Michaels to win, but we can’t always get what we want.) The delightful Monét X Change was given Miss Congeniality honors – and this time around, the title was voted on by the other queen-testants, not the general public. Smart move, Ru.
CONDRAGULATIONS @monetxchange! Our Miss Congeniality for Season 10! #DragRace pic.twitter.com/0C9oi8bumJ
— RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) June 29, 2018
In a drag-stravaganza for the ages, the queens of season one (except for the kooky Tammie Brown who was walking children in nature…or in Australia, on tour with Trixie Mattel) performed a lip sync medley of RuPaul’s 10 years of songs (all available on iTunes). Ru took a little time to chat with the top 4 queens – Aquaria, Kameron, Eureka and Asia O’Hara, and take questions from fans. And then, the time had come for the lip sync FOR THE CROWN. The wheel of queens landed on Kameron, who chose to go up against Asia, who was defeated thanks to a tragic butterfly incident (more on that in a bit). Aquaria and Eureka faced off, with Ru deeming them both winners, making for a three-way lip sync top determine the victor. Thanks to a confetti cannon and some fierce moves, Aquaria was the victor. All hail the queen.
So, about those butterflies. Poor Asia had the ultimate “wardrobe malfunction” as the butterflies she was trying to release from her detachable flower boobs pretty much did their own death drop. Asia blamed the insects’ shipping conditions, telling Entertainment Weekly that the winged critters “need to warm up to a certain temperature in order to fly away.” She said the trick worked in rehearsals but at the finale, it was “a different place and a different environment, and I don’t think the contraptions were warm enough to wake the butterflies up.” She also told EW that the whole incident was “embarrassing” and admitted that “In the moment, I deserved my elimination.” Of course, the memes were quick to arrive.
— Matthew Ray (@mattysmalls) June 29, 2018
seeing Asia’s butterfly performance outfit and knowing what’s about to happen #DragRace pic.twitter.com/V3pN90ljov
— Mario C (@23andtweeting) June 29, 2018
Kameron Michaels choosing to lipsync against Asia o’hara knowing all her butterflies were dead #DragRaceFinale #dragrace pic.twitter.com/Kxqen0jWab
— tammy ☕️ (@tammybstr) June 29, 2018
Asia: Time for the reveal!
Butterflies: pic.twitter.com/7VDi6TdfZo— Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) June 29, 2018
Asia posted an apology on social media, saying, “I would like to publicly offer the entire world my deepest apology. It’s important that everyone knows I would never purposely hurt any living being and have the utmost respect for all animals.” She also vowed to donate over 100 volunteer hours to the ASPCA.
— Asia O'Hara (@AsiaOharaLand) June 29, 2018
As for Aquaria, she posted on Instagram that she is “beyond honored and humbled” to have won and, fun fact, she’s the fifth winner from New York. Let’s step it up, Atlanta! As much as I was and am still 100% #TeamKameron, I know she’ll be just fine, and I congratulate Aquaria for taking the crown. Thanks for another amazing season, Ru.
Yes that IS @jvn from @QueerEye saving the day and putting bobby pins on @aquariaofficial because the #DragRace crown kept falling off. #DragRaceFinale pic.twitter.com/q9OqHaqMln
— Brian A. Hernandez (@BAHjournalist) June 29, 2018
Don’t be confused, OF COURSE I’m proud of my New York sister @aquariaofficial. She’s a winner, as I’ve said again and again. #STAR 🌟 pic.twitter.com/gPnqF10Cq0
— Miz Cracker (@miz_cracker) June 29, 2018
Going to sleep tonight knowing I don’t have to see my fucking face on TV next week is a goddamn win in my book 🙌🏼💞 GOODNIGHT 😜
— Kameron Michaels (@KameronMichaels) June 29, 2018
Photos: WENN.com, Getty Images
WALKING CHILDREN IN NATURE! Shaka buku u!
Poor Asia. How they thought that was a good idea is beyond me. Rehearsals are one thing where you control everything but a taping that could take much longer, this was always going to be a disaster.
I’m just glad Eureka didn’t win.
She was trying for a Sasha Velour moment and well, we know how that went. Felt so bad for her. Love Asia.
Out of the options for the final four, I was rooting for Asia and Aquaria. So sad to see Asia’s stunt go awry! As happy as I am that Aquaria got to take home the crown, I always find it strange when people win a high honor at such a young age. It’s like wining a lifetime achievement award after a four year career or something.
Can’t wait for All Stars! Hopefully we’ll get to see more of Miz Cracker.
I really enjoy Cracker on YouTube, or any time she’s having fun and not feeling the pressure.
However on Drag Race the competition GOT TO HER and she became so hard to even watch. It felt like she was having an ongoing therapy session with the world. The over-analysis and extreme self consciousness and the pressure she put on herself became painful. As much as I loved her I had a sigh of relief when she left. If she comes back for allstars I just really hope she’s in a better place with herself first.
I totally agree! I’ve heard past Queens talk about how the pressure is really, really intense while filming. You could tell when the stress was getting to Cracker. I wanted to just reach through the TV and wrap her in a hug! Haha.
You’re absolutely right, Aquaria deserved to win but… it was SO predictable!! After she won Snatch Game she might as well have collected the crown right then. We all knew her looks were above and beyond, all she needed was to nail at least one other talent and it was over. I’d love to see a closer race next time, makes for better TV. Asia reminds me so much of Kennedy. Another established pageant queen who wants it so bad but can’t seem to garner the fan-following. Asia has less than 1/3 of the social media followers of Aquaria and remember when Kennedy said she sits alone at meet and greets while other queens have a line? So sad it’s off season now.
I was so mad not to see Tammy Brown! Love her. It was great to see Ongina and Nina flowers though.
Aquaria absolutely deserves that win. What an exciting, smart queen with a definite “it” factor. I can’t take my eyes off of her when she’s on stage. She has an energy and an excitement that is totally contagious. And she’s only 22! Imagine what’s to come for her!
I was team Anyone But Eureka. Sad how it ended for Asia, but Asia will be remembered for her sweet soul and jaw dropping lewks. I was team Kameron for a long time but by the end it was clear that aquaria deserves that crown.
I was LIVING for the cutaway shots of Vanjie and Monique freaking out in the audience hahaha.
impeccable runway and stealth comedienne!
Kameron, really? Ew. That queen has ZERO personality or charisma, she should have been booted early on.
Tammie’s tour with Trixie here in Australia finished abut two weeks ago….she’s not walking children in nature here! We do currently have the true winner of Al Stars 3, Ben de la Creme and the queen of ALL the queens……..ORNACIA!!!
The taping of the finale was about 2 weeks ago, so Tammie couldnt make it.
Asia had a long and successful career but now she’ll always be remembered/ referred to as the queen who had an epic fail with butterflies. I feel so so sorry for her.
And the butterfly incident also made everybody forgot the race problem being discussed this season (how Asia and the Vixen got treated by Ru and how all the black queen are treated in general).
I’m happy for Aquaria but I wanted Kameron to win. It’s sad how she got behind the competition only for having a shy personality off stage.
Eureka was a big no for me, she was annoying and loved to play the victim. And her looks got boring after a while.
The Vixen showed up this season literally saying “I’m here to fight”, then acted flabbergasted when she was accused of starting fights. She was rude, hostile, and couldn’t wait to go off on people but wouldn’t listen to a single word said to her by anybody.
She created her own mess. She was often more focused on fighting with other queens than with the competition itself. She came for everyone and then played the victim. I don’t blame Ru for going off at all. We are talking about a grown man who can’t even have a civil conversation. I think the Vicen needs serious mental health help.
And Asia is a heart of gold but most people do have a point at which they say “your behavior is your problem and I’m not running after you to save you”, and Ru reached that point.
Oh please, you just want to rant about Vixen. I agree that the larger issues with the how black queens and other queens of color are treated wasn’t discussed as much as I would’ve liked.
Side note, I love Aquaria and was rooting for her to win but the final 3 lip sync was soooo messy. I never liked the 3-way lip syncs even way back when they did it in season 3 (or 4? whichever one raja won).
Well yeah if someone goes on reality TV and acts the complete fool it’s going to generate commentary such as what I said above. I’m not out to get her, but she makes it pretty hard to be on her side in things. I can say though that I have compassion for her pain and I see her talents when she takes the time to really show them.
But she makes her problems everyone else’s nightmare and so people are going to talk about that. 🤷🏼♀️
Oh PS I agree in the lip sync. It was a hot mess to have all three up there. But Aquaria shone through!
Turned it. Earned it.
I don’t understand how anyone rooted for Kameron, she’s like the MiniVan Majority (Lainey TM) of drag queens.