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'RuPaul's Drag Race' Top 5 Roundup: Season 10 Edition

Discussing the Stats and Performance of Season 10's Top 5! #ParkerPosts

By Parker PostsPublished 6 years ago 14 min read
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Hello, hello, hello! Since VH1 is being a shady queen and not releasing a new episode this week, I thought this would be a great time to discuss our wonderful Top 5. With Season 10's coronation right around the corner, who has the best shot at snatching the crown this year?

Side note: there are a TON of Season 7 parallels that I'm going to be discussing, but don't take them as fact for how these queens will end up this season. They're just some coincidences that I thought would be fun to make note of!

Aquaria - The Instagram Sensation

Drag daughter of Season 4 champion Sharon Needles, our girl Aquaria has had a pretty amazing season so far. Coming into Season 10 as one of the biggest names of the bunch, Aquaria had a lot to prove. Being one of the youngest contestants in the show's history, coupled with the fact that she made a name for herself as an "Instagram queen," left many speculating whether or not she had the performance skills to back up her online popularity. I think it's pretty obvious that she's more than proven herself this season.

As you can see, Aquaria has had a relatively successful performance throughout the entirety of Season 10. Starting off with a controversial "drag on a dime" creation and a pre-season rivalry with early season favorite Miz Cracker to boot, Aquaria left many unsure of how the season would go for her. Episode 2 followed with a high energy (yet uncharacterized) performance in the PharmaRusical, and the third episode saw the height of Aquaria's feud with The Vixen.

Episode 4 is where Aquaria truly made her presence in the competition known. With three totally stunning looks, Aquaria snatched the win for the "Last Ball on Earth." With safe performances during the "Bossy Rossy Show" and the DragCon panel challenge, Aquaria slowly came around to being more open with her fellow contestants and establishing a friendship with a majority of them. Then came Snatch Game. With all eyes on her expecting her to fail, Aquaria came out on top with her hilariously vacant performance as Melania Trump, snatching her second win of the season. As the number of queens dwindle down, Aquaria has seen herself in the Bottom 3 two times, although she would tell you that she didn't warrant it the first time.

Having never fallen into the Bottom 2, Aquaria has cemented herself as a frontrunner. She has the best technical track record out of the queens remaining in the competition, and clearly has earned a place in Mama Ru's heart. "It's future-forward drag. She's very exciting," RuPaul raved in Episode 2. Having won two of the most important challenges in Drag Race (the annual ball and Snatch Game), Aquaria has also surprised everyone with her versatility (though, as she would say, her looks are the only thing versatile about her). With an impeccable eye for fashion, a high level of adaptability (both in terms of performance and interaction with her competitors), and a studied knowledge of Drag Race, does Aquaria have what it takes to go all the way?

Most Notable Performance: Snatch Game, Episode 7

Most Notable Runway: "Mermaid Fantasy", Episode 7

Season 7 Parallel: Violet Chachki

Both Aquaria and Violet are the youngest queens in their respective seasons that excelled on the runway and were willing to tackle any challenge head on. Both shared a strong will to win and have a wit that could come across slightly elitist at first. However, both queens were able to grow and mature throughout their season, taking notes from their competitors on how to better their personal interactions. Will the comparisons continue with an Aquaria victory?

Asia O'Hara — The Pageant Powerhouse

Pageant legend Asia O'Hara also came into the competition with quite a reputation. Drag mother to Phi Phi O'Hara, many were ready for her to have a cutthroat, Season 5 Roxxxy Andrews style performance throughout the season. However, Asia proved us wrong with her wit, charm, and motherly intuition. Forming a close friendship with fellow fan favorites (damn, a lot of alliteration there) Monique Heart and Monét X Change, Asia has exhibited a huge amount of charisma and fun-loving behavior (except for towards that. damn. sponge. dress.).

Asia has had a season of highs and lows. When Asia slays, she slays hard, and when she fumbles, it's pretty iconic to be honest. Starting off the season with a solid "drag on a dime" creation, Asia easily became one to watch with her Untucked antics and gorgeous runway presentation in Episode 2. She then nabbed her first win in Episode 3 with her hilarious "Madam Butterface" ad performance. However, that's when her rocky road (which sounds delicious right about now) began.

With a less-than-stellar showcase in the "Last Ball on Earth", a seriously cringeworthy twin performance with The Vixen in the "Bossy Rossy Show", a fated fail of a Beyoncé impersonation in Snatch Game, and an off-key song-and-dance in the Cher musical (see all of those plays on words I attempted?), Asia had a seriously rough patch in the middle of the season (not to detract from her undeniable talent and star power, of course). However, she's seemingly getting her groove back after having a standout performance in "Breastworld" as "Parah Salin," where she snatched her second win, and a successful social media star makeover.

Will Asia's upward trajectory continue onwards into the finale? Being coined a champion by RuPaul, it's clear that she has the star power that the crown is destined for, yet her bumpy track record may stand in her way. With a seasoned professionalism, inventive runway looks (hello, do you remember her mermaid face?), and killer performance chops, perhaps Asia may be Season 10's crowned queen.

Most Notable Performance: Madam Butterface, Episode 3

Most Notable Runway: "Hats Incredible," Episode 6

Season 7 Parallel: Kennedy Davenport

Both queens are southern pageant queens with an undeniable charm, wit, and no-nonsense attitude. While both had somewhat rocky performances throughout their seasons, they typically overcame their pageant stereotype and excelled in acting challenges where they impressed with their comedy.

Eureka — The Comeback Queen

After suffering a knee injury during Season 9's questionable cheerleading challenge and being sent home by doctor's orders, Eureka received an open invitation from RuPaul to return for Season 10. With her early exit leaving many curious as to how show would do in the following season, the self-proclaimed "elephant queen" had everything to prove. With a polarizing television personality that's left the fandom divided, Eureka has been performing extremely well throughout the season whether people like it or not.

Eureka has basically had the exact opposite journey from Asia. Buckling under the pressure just like her knee in Season 9 (I'm sorry, I had to), Eureka fell into the Bottom 2 after nervousness hindered her performance in the PharmaRusical. That lip-sync lit a fire under Eureka, and her trajectory in the competition quickly shot upward.

Eureka had a stand-out performance in her group's "End of Days" ad, and went on to win two challenges in a row. Her hilarious paired performance with Aquaria as a "sexy baby" in the "Bossy Rossy Show" garnered her her first win, while a calm, cool and collected moderation of her group's DragCon panel snatched her her second. Along the way, Eureka also managed to win something else; a season-long feud with the firecracker of the season, The Vixen.

Eureka continued to dominate the competition with a scene-stealing portrayal of Honey Boo Boo in Snatch Game, where her rivalry with The Vixen came to a head. On the receiving end of a verbal lashing from The Vixen on stage, Eureka garnered even more respect from RuPaul and the judging panel after handling the altercation so maturely. However, Eureka's journey wasn't smooth sailing for long. She stumbled into the Bottom 2 alongside Kameron Michaels after a robotic performance (do you appreciate that I try to be punny?) in "Breastworld," where the two of them were granted the gracious double shantay of the season. With many viewers questioning the merit of the double shantay (fueled by Aquaria's outburst and Monét's elimination in Episode 10), Eureka's polarity only continued to increase.

With a successful makeover on Frankie Grande in Episode 10, will Eureka continue to dominate the cameras and the competition? Whether you love her or hate her, Eureka's quick wit, bold decisions (or strategic if you prefer that term), and larger-than-life personality have made her a prioritized queen for RuPaul and the cameras in Season 10.

Most Notable Performance: "Proportionizing" DragCon Panel, Episode 6

Most Notable Runway: "Feather Fantasy," Episode 3

Season 7 Parallel: Ginger Minj

Both thick and juicy comedy queens from the south, Ginger and Eureka were front-running performers in their respective seasons. Their quick wit and bold fashions made them judges' favorites. While not necessarily "villainous", both queens became polarizing figures that garnered a lot of criticism from the fanbase.

Kameron Michaels — The Silent Assassin

"Bodybuilder Barbie" Kameron Michaels came into Season 10, for lack of better terms, at the back of most people's minds. With an introverted personality that was overshadowed by the boisterous personalities and arguments packed into the season (Eureka, Monique Heart, Monét X Change, Aquaria vs. Miz Cracker, and Aquaria vs. The Vixen just to name a few), Kameron wasn't pulling much screen time in the beginning. I kid you not, aside from her introduction and mini-challenge comments in Episode 1 (which all of the queens got) and uttering the statement "this is not good" in Episode 3, Kameron didn't have a single confessional until Episode 4. Episode. Four. However, once the crowd of queens began to die down, Kameron began to open up and show us that she's simply a soft-spoken sweetheart (more alliteration for your nerves mawma).

Focused and persistent, Kameron had a strong showing throughout the first half of the competition. She managed to standout amongst the crowd in the PharmaRusical, with many fans clamoring that she was robbed of a win for her high-energy, exaggerated lip-sync performance. Her first trip-up came in the following episode where her reserved personality and wooden acting landed her in the Bottom 3 for her performance in the "Fibstr" ad (with her "top-toot" worthy feather garment rescuing her).

Following that scare, Kameron began to step to the forefront of the competition. Her stunning looks catapulted her back to the top during the "Last Ball on Earth," and her knowledge and charm helped lead her team to victory for the DragCon panel challenge. Kameron continued to rise higher, snatching her first win of the season during the Cher musical where her embodiment of "60s era Cher" stood out as the clear top contender. However, that win didn't continue to bring her good fortune.

Following her peak win, Kameron has been on a downward spiral, facing two lip-syncs in a row. Her first lip-sync came after a scattered acting performance in "Breastworld", and the second came after a social media makeover that wasn't necessarily Insta-worthy. While she hasn't been performing well in the latest challenges, the lip-syncs are another story. Kameron has proven herself as a bonafide lip-sync assassin, providing two high-energy, precise performances in a row. With many fans claiming a complete shutout against Eureka in the double shantay worthy lip-sync to Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude" and a victory against Monét X Change to Lizzo's "Good as Hell," Kameron has shown that the stage is where she shines.

Will Kameron be able to turn her luck around leading up to the finale? Kameron's charm and laser-focus have gotten her much farther than she originally anticipated, and her theatrically outstanding looks have made her a standout on the runway. With top-notch lip-sync skills keeping her in the game for the past two episodes, will she be able to overcome her inner saboteur (trust me girl, I completely understand the "prepare for the worst" mentality) and twirl her way to the crown?

Most Notable Performance: "60s Cher", Episode 8

Most Notable Runway: "Feather Fantasy," Episode 3

Season 7 Parallel: Pearl

Stunning in drag, stunning out of drag. Both Kameron and Pearl standout for their more introverted personalities, as well as their impactful runway looks. The two queens were often coaxed to "come out of their shell", and their quiet personas left them under the radar until midway through their respective seasons.

Miz Cracker — The Quirky Persister

Okay Katelyn, it's time for dinner! Miz Cracker captivated the Drag Race audience from the moment she stepped foot into the work room. Drag daughter of Season 8 winner Bob The Drag Queen, the self-proclaimed "Barbie on bath salts" had something to prove; that comedy queens can be pretty too. Claiming that she was wittier than Bianca Del Rio herself, Miz Cracker set a high standard for her performance level throughout the season. These high expectations (both from herself and the viewers) came to be her downfall later in the season.

As you can see, Miz Cracker had an outstanding start to Season 10. With a boisterous entrance, quirky confessionals, a standout "drag on a dime" look, and a supposed pre-show rivalry with fellow contestant Aquaria, Miz Cracker completely dominated the premiere episode of Season 10. She continued to stand out with a solid performance in the PharmaRusical, kitschy yet fashionable looks in the "Last Ball on Earth," and a kosher performance as Dr. Dill in the "Bossy Rossy Show." Many claimed her to be the Pandora Boxx of Season 10, always doing well, but never snatching a win. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, the pressure started to get to Cracker, resulting in a small stumble in the second half of the competition.

Cracker's hair panel fell flat in the DragCon challenge where she narrowly escaped the Bottom 2 with the help of her "Hats Incredible" look. The shock of the judges criticizing her comedy stayed put in Cracker's head while she watched her "rival" Aquaria snatch the win for Snatch Game. All the while, her performance flatlined, receiving the overall least amount of airtime. The final straw came when her inner saboteur fully took over during the filming of "Breastworld" and her performance came off as robotic (which isn't good even, though she was playing an actual robot). With her comedy constantly coming into question and being deemed as "canned" by Mama Ru herself, it seemed that Cracker's inner saboteur was going to get the best of her.

However, the makeover episode was a turning point for Cracker. Being paired with one of the two straight YouTubers brought on, Cracker turned a miracle and discovered a superstar. Transforming Chester See into the fun and flirty Miz Cookie, Miz Cracker finally cemented her first win of the season in Episode 10.

Will Miz Cracker be able to maintain her bridal status and snatch some more wins leading to the finale? With a strong will to succeed, campy yet fashionable looks, and an undeniable quirky charm, Cracker may have found the confidence to push on and snatch the Season 10 crown.

Most Notable Performance: Miz Cookie's Makeover, Episode 10

Most Notable Runway: Denim & Diamonds, Episode 5

Season 7 Parallel: Trixie & Katya

Sharing similarities with two of the top fan favorites of all time? Not too shabby! Like Trixie, Cracker's Barbie-inspired aesthetic drew the masses in. However, also like Trixie, her humor has often failed to translate to the judges. On the other hand, like Katya, Cracker's own inner saboteur has led to a lack of self-confidence and an increase of self-doubt.

Personal Roundup

In general, I find Season 10's Top 5 (heck, Top 6 to be honest) to be one of the strongest bunches that the show has ever had. With relatively even track records, diverse personalities, and varying strengths, the episodes leading up to the finale are going to be some nail-biters for sure. To end this roundup, I'm going to put my personal rankings in terms of who I feel will end up snatching the crown, not who I want to win.

Side note: I personally adore all five of these queens. My rankings hold no merit on the queens' overall star power or performance. These rankings are based purely on their television persona and performance, not who they are as people outside of the show. Whoever comes in last is last based purely on speculation.

Side note #2: These rankings are supposing the finale will NOT be including a lip-sync for the crown. If it is a lip-sync for the crown, honestly any of these queens could easily snatch the title. They're all amazing lip-synchers!

5. Miz Cracker

While Miz Cracker is a really strong queen overall, she suffers from the Thorgy Thor ailment of being a "jack of all trades, master of none." Regardless of the rest of her track record, it would honestly surprise me if she did end up winning since her first win came so late in the game. Cracker also seems to be the one that has the least personal interactions with Ru, so that tells me that his focus is on other girls. If she ends up winning Episode 11's challenge, that will make this a different story.

4. Kameron Michaels

While I adore Kameron, I feel that her recent slump in the competition is letting the crown slip away from her. If her two lip-syncs happened earlier in the season, she would've had time to rebuild her performance and prove herself to the judges. However, since her lip-syncs have occurred so close to the finale, I feel that that will stick in the judges' minds when considering who should win. Her critiques of needing to come out of her shell also seems to be a hindrance to her chances for the win.

3. Asia O'Hara

Asia is my personal wildcard. While she has had many ups and downs throughout the competition, it's clear that RuPaul adores her and she has the professionalism to represent the crown well (much like Chad Michaels). If Asia performs well in the remaining competitive episodes, she could easily snatch the crown and be the first pageant queen to be inducted into the Winners Circle.

2. Eureka

It's clear that Eureka has been one of the main focuses of Season 10. Many of the season's storylines have focused on her, she always has a large number of confessionals, and she's performed extremely well throughout the entirety of the season overall. A favorite of the judges, I would say that she would be the clear winner of the season. That is, if it weren't for her polarity within the fanbase. While she doesn't seem to purposely be controversial, Eureka has the Drag Race audience divided, something that may hold her back from being our first thick and juicy winner.

1. Aquaria

With the strongest overall track record of the remaining girls, Aquaria has performed outstandingly throughout the competition. With an unshakable confidence, sickening runway looks, and a special place in Mama Ru's heart, I personally feel that Aquaria is the one to beat. Not only has she never fallen into the Bottom 2 (at the time of writing this at least), she's won the two staple Drag Race challenges (Snatch Game and the ball). Aquaria has proven herself to be a well-rounded performer, not just a pretty Instagram face. As long as she doesn't stumble in the remaining competitive episodes, I'd say the Season 10 crown is as good as hers. Winning could run in the family, huh?

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About the Creator

Parker Posts

Hello everyone! I'm just a 22 year old college graduate who happens to love the art of drag and the creative powerhouses that make up the industry.

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