‘All Stars 6’ Episode 11 Recap: The Story That Doesn’t End Well
WARNING: If you haven’t seen episode eleven of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6, there are major spoilers ahead!
So, we’ve finally found out what the “game within a game” is, we’ve seen Silky slay the Lip Sync Smackdown for six weeks in a row, and we were left hanging last week when Silky went up against her latest opponent… The just recently eliminated Eureka.
We come back this week to the news that Silky didn’t slay for a seventh week in a row. She was sent home by Eureka, who was just recently eliminated the week before. But now, Eureka is back in the competition… and Trinity isn’t really feeling it.
Well, maybe I shouldn’t say it that way. Trinity doesn’t have a problem with Eureka. Honestly, we’ve seen a friendship between the two of them blossom throughout the competition, Their friendship seems genuine (and maybe a little bit more than a friendship?), and Eureka even thanks Trinity in this episode for play-flirting with her a lot (or just actually flirting?) and making her feel like she was attractive because no one has ever made her feel like that outside of drag. This is a very tender moment for the two of them. They’ve had many tender moments throughout this season, such as the day Eureka cried and let Trinity know how much she loved her for being so strong and being an advocate for people living with HIV. Very tender, indeed. However, let’s not forget this is still… A game. And in a game such as Drag Race, well…..
But anyway, I don’t think Trinity’s problem is with Eureka. Trinity is proud of Eureka. I think Trinity’s problem is that she had made it to the top four, and now another person is back to make it five again and possibly boot her out. Let’s be honest… Trinity knew that, if another girl is given the power to vote someone else out based on track record alone, then she has the worst track record of them all. She’s won two challenges, but she’s also been in the bottom more times than everyone else who has also won two challenges… Except for Eureka who, at this point when re-entering the competition, has no wins at all. That’s until… Well, we haven’t gotten there yet.
Anyway, Trinity knows that if Eureka re-enters the competition and this challenge is something that Eureka is good at (and she’s not as good at) and Eureka wins, then it means that it will put Eureka, or whoever wins, in a place to be able to vote her out. Because we all know, “at this point in the competition if you’re not in the top, then you’re in the bottom,” says RuPaul. So, what’s the challenge… Well, it’s the “Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent Monologues” — A storytelling competition. And we all know that Eureka likes to talk and perform. Trinity may not have necessarily said it, but everything in her body language and facial expressions after RuPaul announced the challenge said, “… Fuck.”
Now, I do think that, even though Trinity has grown A LOT since her original appearance on season six (Honestly, go back and watch it. She’s almost a different person), she still has a tendency to doubt herself too much. She needs to learn how to channel that anxious energy into strength and determination. However, I do understand her feelings. Once again, RuPaul’s unnecessary twists and turns has placed another queen in a sort of shitty situation. This is the reason why I think Drag Race should go back to its beginnings, when it was just a little simple drag competition on Logo that didn’t include queens bringing in $10,000 gowns or spending their life savings to buy everything they need to slay the competition. I’m not saying that the show can’t amp up the production value now that it’s an international phenomenon. What I’m saying is that I wish RuPaul and the producers would not forget the core value of the show: To search for the next drag superstar. It’s not about the twists and turns, the shocking reveals, or reading queens who don’t have $10,000 to spend on a gown for not being able to hold their own against queens who came into the competition with fifty $10,000 gowns. It’s unfair, and it devastates and emotionally fucks with people who have worked their asses off to get there as a way to boost entertainment value for people sitting on their asses watching it on television. Yes, that would be US, the viewers.
So, do I think Trinity was being a little sensitive? Yes. But, at this point, we know that’s who Trinity is, and we have to love her for it. Do I think her feelings are valid? Very much so. To be yanked out of the top four and be put back into a top five by your friend who was recently eliminated and has come back to possibly now send you home would totally mentally fuck anyone. Imagine trying to concentrate on a fucking challenge with all of that on your mind. I have anxiety, and I know that that would be hard for me to do. Imagine how these queens feel.
Anyway, we get to the challenge and everyone does well. I was scared for Ra’Jah at first when she stumbled at the beginning, but she brought it all back together and finished wonderfully. Everyone’s stories were funny and endearing in their own way. Trinity gave us a catfishing tale that turns out to be a heartfelt moment with a fan; Kylie gave us the story of her best friend taking her to a drag club for the first time; Ra’Jah entertained us with a story about a tuck gone wrong; Ginger told us a heartwarming tale about her mother’s love and support of her identity as a drag queen; and Eureka told us a story about shitting herself, which she used to make a point about never giving up. Can you guess which one won the challenge?
Of course, Eureka did. And from that moment we watched all of Trinity’s worst fears come true. Seriously, it was like watching a psychological horror film about someone who had seen their unfortunate fate in a vision and despite trying to avoid it, was watching it all play out like they knew it would with absolutely no control. Trinity knew what was about to go down, and so did I.
The runway was really camp this week, and I loved it. “Oops… I Did It Again Fashion Fails.” Of course, Ginger and Eureka gave us the most camp stories with their runways. We always eat it up.
Eureka ends up lip synching with none other than season 12 winner Miss Jaida Essence Hall. They BOTH slayed so well to “Good Golly, Miss Molly” by Little Richard. RuPaul decided it was a tie… Which means two queens could now be sent home. As Ra’Jah said so eloquently in that moment, “Bitch, my heart is in my bootyhole.”
Jaida reveals that the group, of course, chose Trinity to go home. Then, it comes time for Eureka to pull a lipstick. She reveals that she chose… Trinity as well. I was gagged. I mean, I don’t expect anyone to vote with their heart in a competition, but these two seemed to create a special type of friendship. Eureka was just telling Trinity how supported she felt by her, and how much Trinity helped her to believe in herself. To have to send your friend home… That had to be devastating for the both of them.
But, I can honestly say, if I were Eureka, I probably would have felt so bad for coming back after I was eliminated and (possibly) ruining my friend’s dream like that, that I probably would have just sent myself home. But, that’s just me. I’m sensitive and loyal like that. However, Jaida probably would have still pulled Trinity’s name before Eureka pulled her own. So, I guess sending Trinity home is better than sending them both home, right?
Whew! Rupaul, you LIVE for the drama, mama! I’m really pissed because I really love Trinity… And I like Eureka as well. And I hated to see this happen this way.
But anyway, now that we have a FINAL final four, who are you with? Are you #TeamGinger, #TeamRaJah, #TeamKylie or #TeamEureka?
