by Nathaniel R
Months on end of turning looks and stunting pretty have now ended with Season 10's queen crowned. So why lead with a picture of Season 9's winner Sasha Velour? It's not just that she served the season finale's best look, but that her appearance was hardly necessary. Her long shadow was already blocking out all the light on this particular finale...
This was most evident in the closing night looks and lipsyncs which all clearly indicated the flopsweat of "reveal" pressure in the wake of Sasha Velour. The Season 9 winner's rose petal cascade was an instantly legendary gag and 'So Emotional,' too, pun intended. But to chase Sasha's success at in-performance shocks was a fool's game as "reveals" only stun to that extent when you don't quite see them coming (like Roxxy's wig underneath a wig some seasons ago). With the element of surprise gone the reveals had to settle for being merely amusing/cute (Eureka stepping out of the giant poof of her skirt or her "Big Girl / Wins" text), or being obvious loud fun (Aquaria's confetti launchers), or, sadly, epic fails (Asia's "live" butterflies release). Kameron Michaels, crowned (informally) " Most Underestimated" wisely stuck to just performing. It was something of a relief to watch her, all told, as she was merely dancing/lipsynching/hair-twirling rather then trying to work through a "bit".
Worst of all was the ill-advised tie in round one which led to a three-way lipsynch finale that was utter chaos to watch -- what to even look at? Things weren't any better in the calmer "interview" section of the Beauty Pageant finale when the sit down conversations were anemic and soundbitey at best.
The Win
Aquaria had been building considerable momentum going in. She was the only contestant, really, whose looks / performances didn't feel frontloaded in the season (she improved throughout) and she took the crown. We knew she would, though, since the judges had already shown extreme generosity labelling even her minor triumphs as major. Aquaria was the best on finale night (which can and should count for something) so why did the win feel second hand? Was it our personal feeling that she's just Violet Chachki round two or that her speech felt cribbed from her competition. Surely that "second chances" acceptance speech was lifted while rifling through Eureka's ample drawers? Eureka had entered the season in phoenix gear, given a literal second chance. But, as it turns out, "second chance" inspirational speeches feel hollow when coming from a super young queen who was an assumed heavy-hitter from the very beginning and never had any losses to come back from.
Such a strange acceptance speech choice!
A talented queen won. And in the end that's good (there's usually more than one deserving winner) even though the season had already run out of air. It's fitting, somehow, that a season that proved to be so frontloaded with joy would end with a cacophony of familiar sounds all cancelling each other out. Season 10 closed with less a whisper, than a dying flutter.
Gif as Episode Grade:
Predictions and preferences chart
This includes shifting from the finale and the reunion special so it's our final ranking. Until Season 11 or All Stars Season 4!
| ACTUAL: HOW IT PLAYED OUT WITH THE JUDGING | PERSONAL RANKING. MOST DELIGHTED / ENTERTAINED / GAGGED BY AND SUCH... |
 |
 |
| Subject to change as we get to know them | |
| 1. 🔺Aquaria WINNER |
1. Eureka |
| 2. [tie] Eureka RUNNER-UP | 2. Monét X Change MISS CONGENIALITY. Yaaaas! |
| 2. [tie] Kameron Michael RUNNER-UP | 3. Monique Heart |
| 4. 🔻 Asia O'Hara | 4. 🔺Aquaria (consistent improvement and she'll be a good reigning queen. CONGRATS) |
| 5. Miz Cracker | 5. Asia O'Hara |
| 6. Monét X Change | 6. Miz Cracker |
| 7. The Vixen | 7. 🔻Kameron Michaels (giving off shady vibes at the reunion - where'd that come from?) |
| 8. Monique Heart | 8. Dusty Ray Bottoms |
| 9. Blair St Clair | 9. The Vixen |
| 10. Mayhem Miller | 10. Yuhua Hamasaki |
| 11. Dusty Ray Bottoms | 11. 🔺 Vanessa Vanjie Mateo |
| 12. Yuhua Hamasaki | 12. Blair St Clair |
| 13. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams | 13. Mayhem Miller |
| 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo | 14. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams |
What were your finale feelings?