‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Power Ranking: Aquaria Rising

Last week, RuPaul’s Drag Race challenged its queen to produce iconic lerks for its much-anticipated “ball” challenge. Usually reserved for much later in the seasonprevious outings in seasons eight and nine happened when only five queens remained all 11 of the queens were asked to produce three ensembles.

After an astoundingly long runway featuring 33 looks, Aquaria landed on top with Dusty Ray Bottoms and Monet X Change in the bottom two and Dusty eventually sashaying away.

After the Last Ball on Earth, this week’s power rankings have been shaken and stirred. Here’s where the queens stand this week as compared to last.

1. Aquaria (Last week: 10)

With no trips to the bottom two and both a mini and maxi challenge win now under her belt, Aquaria has risen from this list’s lower ranks to its pinnacle. What RuPaul said to her was true: prior to this week, she seemed to have been floating listlessly with good looks but a lack of oomph.

But Aquaria is here for more than just her win in the “lerk” challenge. Have you noticed how RuPaul talks about Aquaria? During last week’s episode, she said she had heard about Aquaria in the New York club scene, which no doubt reminds RuPaul of his own tenure in the underground club scene. When Aquaria complimented Ru’s runway look, RuPaul acted as if she’d gotten a compliment from one of her idols, even going so far as to call Aquaria the “lerk queen.”

The show often bends over backwards to accommodate people RuPaul likes*cough* Pearl *cough*so expect Aquaria to sail through to the finals. And, given RuPaul’s penchant for crowning people she deems the “future” of dragSharon Needles, Violet Chachki, Sasha Velourhell, she could even snatch the title.

2. The Vixen (Last week: 1)

No queen generates conversation online quite like The Vixen. She’s become the queen of Untucked not only because of her ability to cut to the core of an issue, but because of her unwillingness to allow others to hijack her narrative. Yes, her Untucked fight with Eureka was messier than her thorough, enlightening read on the Drag Race fandom, but she’s still consistently the show’s most watchable queen alongside it’s most philosophical.

The Vixen, like Aquaria, has both the mini and maxi challenge wins to put her near the top mathematically, but she hasn’t been chosen as one of the judges’ top queens since her triumph two weeks ago. The Vixen needs to pull out another win, or at least land in the judges’ top three, to stay competitive.

3. Miz Cracker (Last week: 4)

Yet to pull off a win but continuously landing in the judges’ tops of the week, branding queen Miz Cracker nonetheless remains high on this list for one word: consistency. Though Aquaria snatched this week’s win, Miz Cracker also gave her a run for her money, proving that she is both humor and fashion.

4. Asia O’Hara (Last week: 2)

Asia O’Hara certainly didn’t inspire during this week’s “lerks” ball, but the level of talent and quality she can put into a garment, as well as her win in last week’s acting challenge, keep her as a queen to watch. She has the comedy chops, the fashion know-how, and the mothering gene. Season 10’s Bianca del Rio has arrived.

5. Blair St. Clair (Last week: 6)

Another queen like Miz Cracker who consistently garners good critiques but has yet to land a win, Blair St. Clair still finds herself near the top of this pack of queens. When are we going to be wowed?

6. Mayhem Miller (Last week: 5)

Mayhem needed to bounce back in a big way after he trip to the bottom two last week’s episode. In a crowded room of great lewks, Mayhem didn’t exactly stand out, but her efforts were pretty good. She’s still the only queen to both win a challenge and lip sync so far this season, so we’re keeping a close eye on her next move to see where she lands in next week’s ranking.

7. Kameron Michaels (Last week: 11)

After several weeks on this ranking’s lowest rungs, Kameron Michaels has finally muscled (lol) her way toward the middle of the pack this week. Michaels performed very well during the Last Ball on Earth and, combined with her look during the feathers runway, Michaels could be the secret lewk queen no one is talking about. However, the camera needs to give her more time. Why has Michaels been denied almost any on-screen commentary?

8. Monique Heart (Last week: 9)

Poor Monique. There’s no reason someone with as much charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent should be this far down in the ranking, but here we are. She still has no wins to her credit and has yet to be called into the top three. The numbers may be against her, but The Heart of Season 10 is still a major contender in our book.

9. Eureka (Last week: 7)

Eureka isn’t this far down due to lack of trying. With no wins and a trip to the bottom two on her report card, Eureka is simply being left behind. Her Last Ball on Earth looks actually did slay, but the judges didn’t seem to notice. It’d be nice to see her back on the stage getting good critiques soon. But for now, she’s dangerously close to the bottom of the list.

10. Monet X Change (Last week: 3)

Listen, we’re not happy to report it, either, but Monet X Change certainly took a tumble this week when she landed in the bottom two for her poorly-constructed Last Ball on Earth looks. However, her iconic performance in the final lip sync to Nicki Minaj’s “Pound the Alarm” proved that she’s a queen who refuses to be counted out and will make you root for her at the exact moment she looks to be in trouble. Perhaps next week will see a resurgence of Monet X Change, something we’d welcome with open arms and a death drop fake out.