Top 10 Exact Moments a Queen Won the Season on Drag Race

Even though she was a talented comedian, actress, and singer, Jinkx Monsoon’s victory was far from guaranteed. Her makeup skills and fashion sense lacked polish, and she faced stiff competition from Roxxxy, Alaska, and Detox. At the final four, Jinkx had her lowest moment in the competition, landing in the bottom two for her disastrous Sugar Ball designs. However, when she faced off against Detox in this lip sync, she made it exceedingly clear why the crown was meant for her. Pulling faces and employing every quirky move in her arsenal, Jinkx gave the song the right dose of eccentricity it needed. Certainly, if she could survive this week, her underdog narrative would pay off in the finale. And it sure did.

The finalists of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season 6 were an exceptionally well-matched group of queens. Ra’Jah O’Hara and Ginger Minj had won two challenges each, while Eureka! and Kylie Sonique Love both had one win. The four faced off in a spliced-together lip sync to Lady Gaga’s “Stupid Love.” Using split screens and parallel editing, it was hard to tell who was ahead. That is, until Kylie stumbled on her discarded dress and nearly fell on her face. But she immediately recovered by turning the fall into a beautifully executed somersault. RuPaul’s cheers sealed the deal. Any queen who can turn a stumble into an even more fabulous serve is a real winner.

This hateful New York queen strutted into the werk room firing off poisonous barbs and one-liners, with little regard for being liked. Given her confidence and strong showing in every challenge, Bianca Del Rio was a strong contender for the crown. It would’ve been more surprising if she didn’t win. However, for many viewers, her victory was telegraphed when the show’s storyline began highlighting her kindness towards fellow contestant, Adore Delano. A brief, but meaningful moment where she offered to help Adore cinch her waist revealed a softer side to Bianca. This narrative of her being motherly and helpful to her competitors made many believe the show was rounding out her personality for an eventual win. They weren’t wrong.

Although her win was controversial even then, season 2 champion Tyra Sanchez consistently won RuPaul’s heart every week. Episode 5 was a particularly significant moment in Tyra’s journey to the crown. Not only did she have one of the biggest fights of the season with Tatianna, but she also dazzled the judges with a stunning bridal runway. This wasn’t “RuPaul’s Best Friends Race,” but it soon became clear that it was about to be Tyra Sanchez’s Drag Race. Despite backstage drama spilling onto the mainstage, Tyra was still given the win. If she was getting this much praise regardless of the personality clashes, then it was obvious she would make it all the way.

When All Stars 3 frontrunner BenDeLaCreme shocked everyone by quitting two weeks before the finale, it changed everything. This was Shangela’s third shot at “Drag Race” glory, and it looked like she would finally take the crown, with Trixie Mattel as a worthy runner-up. But then, the jury twist was introduced. Previously eliminated queens were invited to cast their votes for the most worthy finalists. Unfortunately, Shangela was shut out, and Kennedy Davenport advanced to the final two with Trixie instead. From then on, the writing was on the wall. Kennedy is a great queen, but her winning seemed unlikely. In the end, it was Trixie who emerged as the third All Stars champ.

Continuing the previous season’s Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown, season 10’s top four had to battle it out on the finale stage. At the time, it was largely seen as a race between Asia O’Hara and Aquaria. Sadly, the two never got their face-off. During her first lip sync against Kameron Michaels, Asia had a few surprises up her sleeve. But her butterfly reveal didn’t go as planned. In fact, it became one of the biggest fails ever seen on the show. Her loss cemented Aquaria’s win. Against the remaining two competitors, Aquaria seemed like the only viable winner, given her better track record and reputation with the fans. She was crowned later that night.

In season 8, Bob the Drag Queen was the definition of a steamroller. She walked into the werk room with big talk and a personality to match. From the jump, she was the one to beat, and frankly, no one else compared. Don’t get us wrong. There were other great queens in the season. But after hearing Ru cackle throughout Bob’s entire performance in the “RuCo’s Empire” challenge, it was pretty safe to assume that the $100,000 check already had her name on it. The fact that her runway look was not spectacular and she still won? That was the final nail in all the other queens’ coffins.

Even her castmates couldn’t believe she was there. Sasha Colby was already a legend long before she walked into the werk room. But from the moment she entered the competition, her fellow contestants couldn’t stop fawning over her. You know you’re the winner when they rename the whole season the “Sasha Colby Meet and Greet.” She was the moment, the legend, and the reason for the season. But what really sealed the deal was her immediate humility. Sasha didn’t have to sell us on her talent or her greatness. We already knew. Although Anetra would have been a worthy alternate, it was always Sasha’s game to lose.

This season 5 winner’s first Snatch Game performance was a masterclass in improvisation and impersonation. Her second outing, in the All Winners season no less, was arguably the best the show had ever seen. Jinkx Monsoon chose the legendary Judy Garland as her character. Dirty jokes and delicious double entendres aside, Jinkx embodied Garland so completely, it was almost scary. She took full control of the challenge, setting the tone for the whole episode and the season. Her hilarious musical interludes could have come off as showboating, but they were so fun that it didn’t matter.

In any regular season finale, Shea Couleé’s four challenge wins would have easily landed her the win. But this wasn’t a regular finale. Season 9 introduced the Lip Sync Smackdown, which saw the finalists fighting for the crown live on stage. Shea went up against Sasha Velour to Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional.” Little did she know, Sasha had a few tricks up her sleeves and under her wig. At a climactic moment, carefully hidden rose petals showered down Sasha’s body, sending the audience into a frenzy unlike anything ever seen before in a finale. The rest is herstory. Has any other moment so clearly decided the winner than this one? Absolutely not. And that’s why it’s our top pick.

Who is your favorite “Drag Race” winner? Let us know in the comments.