RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17 Predictions: Who will take the crown?
- Emmalene McMahon
- Mar 31
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 10
It's hard to believe we're already on episode 13 with our final 5 queens! Last week we saw Lana Ja'rae sashay away (to my personal heartbreak) after an intense lip sync to “Illusion” by Dua Lipa against Sam Star. This week, we see Jewels Sparkles, Lexi Love, Onya Nerve, Sam Star, and Suzie Toot enter the Werk Room ready to take on this week's Makeover Challenge with poise and professionalism. Well that is until they learn that the special guests they are putting in drag will be their biological parents!
Sam Star is the first to break down after seeing her mom enter the Werk Room. There were happy tears all around as Suzie's mother, Onya's father, Jewels' father, and Lexi's mother entered. Even Ru got emotional. I think we can all agree that Jewel's father coming in with the "Hey Queens!" was absolutely adorable. This man is an instant national treasure. But personally, Onya had my favorite reaction with that silent scream and open arm run to her dad. I really saw myself in her. That's exactly how I react when I come home from college and see my dogs. 🥹💕
Well enough background and recap, let's get into the lewksss. Makeover challenges are difficult and often send home some front-runner queens. I mean I can relate, I can do eyeliner on myself flawlessly but when I try it on my friends... the results are less than desirable. So let's start with my favorite look, the one that impressed me the most- Sam Star and her mother as Sassy Star. The drag family resemblance was the most on point with them, for me. I absolutely loved the country style with the white & blue tie dye fringe and the gold embellishments. The looks were different enough but still matching, and the identical platinum blonde glam-wave wigs perfectly tied the fantasy together. Sam always knows exactly what she's doing and always looks put-together. I know she'll make a great drag mother someday.
Next best in my books was Lexi Love and her mother Mimi Lovely's looks. I loved the campy Valentine's Day heart theme, and the mugs were painted gorgeously. They both looked so feminine and ethereal. Suzie's looks I also liked enough, though the black and white style makeup was definitely a choice. Very on brand for her, and the costume construction was excellent per usual. I think the part that really offset the look for me were the heart fascinators on her and her mother's heads. They gave more Mickey Mouse than hearts and I am not a Disney girl. (Sorry not sorry.)
The bottom two for me were unfortunately Jewels and Onya's looks. Jewels and her dad as were so cute in their fluffy coats - I love faux fur - I just wish there was a reveal! Why was there no reveal?! When you come out in a big coat on RuPaul's Drag Race you know the audience is expecting a reveal. And my thoughts on Onya's... I just have a lot of questions. I didn't really follow the story. It was steampunk, it was renaissance, it was harajuku - like if you asked ChatGPT to come up with a Comic-Con outfit. Onya's definitely been on one recently, and I honestly have been loving it. I ate up her turkey outfit last week, but this week she unfortunately seems to have lost the plot. And I didn't think I'd be saying this but I thought her father's runway was better! That green wig is much more forgivable than the yellow one she wore herself. After seeing Ru's reaction, maybe she should have pivoted.
*Spoiler Alert! Despite the many challenges they all faced during this episode, no one went home this week! RuPaul called Season 17's first double "shantay you stay" this episode after Jewels Sparkles and Onya Nerve's heated lip sync to "1 Thing" by Amerie. Honestly, I'm not mad about it, the makeover challenges have proven very difficult for even the most seasoned queens in the past and both bottom girls deserve another chance to exhibit their drag on national television. Not to mention being sent home in front of your own father? That would be heartbreaking. Ru did the right thing. Maybe it's production, maybe she's getting soft in her old age, but either way I'm glad we will get to see more of what these queens have to serve before the finale.
Oh? What's that? Who do I think will take the crown you ask? Well, Onya nerve seems to be a front runner for many, including Monét X Change, All Stars season four co-winner and the current host of the Pit Stop on the RuPaul's Drag Race YouTube channel. The double shantay is also a tad suspicious when thinking about RPDR production in the past leaning me to maybe think they want Onya to take the crown. Not looking too hard into that though, I still believe Onya has what it takes to win, and Suzie as well. Suzie has shown a lot of versatility throughout this season and Ru thinks she's hilarious so I don't think her as a predicted winner is too far-fetched to say.
Personally though, I'm rooting for Lexi Love. She has been so real in and out of the confessionals, which I appreciate. The more genuine girls always seem to win me over and of course it helps that I love her style. She knows how to paint and is so creative with her makeup (I have her saved to many of my personal Pintrest boards) and has an immaculate understanding of color. Her carefully thought out pops of bright color in her makeup, outfits, and wigs I absolutely live for. She's just that girl for me. #TeamLexi
Thank you for joining me for my personal recap of RPDR Season 17. I hope it brought you some enjoyment and you follow my thoughts for the rest of this exciting season (there's not too much left!) Just a disclaimer that these are just my personal thoughts & opinions on the looks and are nothing personal against any of the queens, I truly have loved the entire Season 17 cast and think they're all amazing. (Don't take anything I say too seriously, I've never even tried to sew a garment before lol.) And with that being said, I can't wait to see how this season ends! Thank you for reading, I'll catch you next week. Bye!
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