Spoiler alert: This post contains spoilers from the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10. Proceed with caution.
Heading into the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which found the queens turning social media stars into drag stars, Miz Cracker and Monet X Change were the only contestants in the final six who hadn’t won a challenge. And while the former finally landed her first win of the season, the latter was unfairly sent packing.
Before we break down the stunt shows and shenanigans that sent Monet home, we must congratulate Cracker. This queen was at the top of our weekly power rankings for the first half of the season, consistently deserving to win each episode but always coming in second.
Halfway through Season 10, however, she started to get in her own head too often and began finding herself at the bottom of the pack. What’s worse, these were comedy challenges, so they should have been the moments she excelled in the most.
But tonight, just as her time was running out, she won for giving YouTube star Chester See a makeover so good, even he couldn’t believe his eyes.
THE RU-VEAL IS EVERYTHING #DRAGRACE pic.twitter.com/hONc80bGW0
— GIPHY Identity (@GIPHYIdentity) May 25, 2018
Chester — a straight man — was feeling. him. self. And it was easy to understand why. Cracker shaved his beard, beat his face to perfection, and put him in a beautiful blonde wig to create the perfect family resemblance on the runway. The challenge might not have required any comedy, but Cracker got a very deserved win.
Monet, on the other hand, was far less deserving of her fate. Paired with social media superstar Tyler Oakley, who she lovingly dubbed Short Change, Monet created matching green bodysuits paired with big hair and Oakley’s signature glasses for each of them. And yet, Michelle Visage insisted that there was no family resemblance.
👠💋 Category is: Drag Family Values! 👯@monetxchange @tyleroakley #DragRace pic.twitter.com/0K5GewfSCz
— RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) May 25, 2018
While none of the queens had major stumbles in the challenge, Aquaria’s look with YouTuber Kingsley had far less of a family resemblance than Monet and Tyler. And yet, it was Monet forced to lip sync for her life.
At first it felt like it was a producer setup to send Kameron home, perhaps suggesting that they felt Aquaria wouldn’t have been able to beat the muscle queen so they put Monet in the bottom to take care of the job. But instead, it was the sponge queen who lost the lip sync and was forced to sashay away.
Despite an incredible personality and proving she’s talented, Monet didn’t necessarily manage to deliver any standout moments throughout the season. But it still felt like she was critiqued unfairly. She deserved to win the last episode’s challenge but was criticized for wearing a funny costume on the runway — something that other queens have often been praised for in the past.
At this point in the competition I’m soo FRUSTRATED! I know that my runway looks held me back from possible wins in the past, but this week I really felt like I had the full package. I 100% committed to a campy character & story, but got egg on my face for it. Reeeally sucks 😓.
— Monét (@monetxchange) May 18, 2018
But worse than that, she was forced to leave the competition this week on an episode in which she didn’t even deserve to be in the bottom in the first place. And that, my friends, is the true definition of being short-changed.
In an Instagram post that featured Monet and Short Change dressed as sisters once more, Tyler promised a YouTube video that would spill the tea about what really went down on the Drag Race set. These social media kids sure do know a lot about marketing.
being transformed into Short Change by @monetxchange was a dream come true!! & tomorrow on https://t.co/U8kn0yOpsA we’ll spill the tea on what REALLY went down on #DragRace!! 💄 pic.twitter.com/5fKzPp3ec1
— tyler oakley 🙋🏼♂️ (@tyleroakley) May 25, 2018
And as for Monet? Well, she’s already released her first dance single, of course. Because you can’t keep a good queen down.
Drag Race is taking a week off on May 31, so we’ll meet back here in two weeks to kiki over what happens when the final five face off in an evil-twin challenge.