We’re down to the final five queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17! After last week’s monologue/ interpretation dance challenge, Onya Nerve secured her 4th (!) win and Lexi Love snatched up her 2nd win. While Love got a much-needed boost of confidence going into the last stretch of the competition, Sam Star was crushed to have to perform in her first “Lip Sync For Your Life” against Lana Ja’Rae—whom she narrowly defeated.
This week’s first lewk begins with Star leading the queens into the werkroom and over to Ja’Rae’s mirror message. “Keep on ja’dreaming,” reads Star. “Live, laugh, Lana.” While the other queens take a moment of silence, Star burst into tears. As Jewel Sparkles assures Star that her lip sync was “incredible,” Sam confesses to being “terrified” that she might potentially go home. “I don’t really know what to say, and I know that’s new for me,” jokes Star to the queens through her tears.
The queens then head over to the couch where Susie Toots congratulates Love and Nerve on their wins. In her confessional, Love couldn’t be more pleased. “My confidence level is now being fed. The beast is growing, honey,” says Love happily. Meanwhile, in her confessional, Nerve is even more excited. “I am leading the competition and I am happy as a duck,” coos Nerve. “Quack quack!”
In the werkroom, Nerve is quick to give props to the other queens. “The game ain’t over and I hope you all understand that like this is not a game of how many wins we have, it’s a game of who makes it to the end,” says Nerve. “I’m around some talented bitches that I can’t disregard yet.” Toots then sees her chance to get into Sparkles’ head (Sparkles has only one win so far). “Yep, the three of us and poor Jewels,” laughs Toots as the group begins to de-drag.
The next day in the werkroom, the queens are greeted by RuPaul and a new mini-challenge: Spill The Tea. The game requires the queens to answer shady questions (ex. Which queen is the fiercest?) anonymously by holding up a panel showing a competitor’s face. Each time their answer matches the majority of the group, they get a point. Hilarity ensues as the queens vote on a wild batch of questions, but ultimately Nerve is victorious.
Then it’s time for RuPaul to announce the maxi challenge. “When you become a drag mother, your whole life changes,” begins RuPaul. “The greatest gift I’ve ever received was to become Mama Ru to all my girls, and now I want to give you that same gift.” As the queens titter about the drag makeovers, RuPaul brings out some “extra special drag newbies.”
“First up, Sam Star’s mom, Leslie,” announces RuPaul as the queens lose their minds. Turns out that for this challenge, they’ll be turning their parents into their drag children. As Star rushes to embrace her mother, she can’t help but cry with relief. “I can’t believe my mom is here. She is everything to me, and she’s exactly who I needed to see because I’ve been so emotional,” Star says in her confessional.
The queens get more and more emotional as each parent is brought out, including Toots’ mom Susan and Nerve’s dad Andre. Perhaps the sweetest entrance belongs to Sparkles’ dad, Douglas, who bursts through the werkroom door by saying, “hey queen!” and rushes to pick her up. In her confessional, Sparkles explains why the moment is so special to her. “‘Hey queen’ is the most amazing thing to hear from him because outside of this competition, that’s the first thing he always says to me: ‘hey queen!'” Back in the werkroom, Douglas holds Sparkles tight and tells her, “I’m so proud of you.”
Last to enter is Love’s mom, Tammy. “Mommy!” screams Love as she runs to her. As they two embrace, Love quickly gathers herself. “Come on, we can’t make RuPaul wait.” At the front of the room, RuPaul begins to tear up at the sight of the queens and their parents together. “It’s just so beautiful,” says RuPaul. “These kids are survivors, and that’s attributed to all of you and your open hearts.” RuPaul then tasks the queens with transforming their loved ones into members of their drag family.
Are the remaining queens up to the challenge? With their loving parents by their side, anything is possible! Tune in this Friday at 8PM on MTV to find out what happens next.