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Not every crown comes with a compelling story. Join us as we count down the "Drag Race" winners who received the most gripping winner edits, and those whose victories left fans scratching their heads! We're looking at queens whose storylines had us rooting for them from the start, and those who never quite felt like the season's true protagonist. Which winner edit stands out to you?
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00:00And I don't mean anything against Crystal, but talent show.
00:07That's all.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:10And today we're looking at the Drag Race winners who got the most compelling edits that had fans rooting for
00:15them from the start.
00:15And those whose storylines never quite made them feel like the season's true protagonist.
00:20I don't get very serious or very nice about many things.
00:25I just wanted to say to you that I'm very proud of you for putting your story out there.
00:34For much of the season, the spotlight belonged to Jane Don't.
00:38Jane seemed like the inevitable winner after spending 10 consecutive weeks in the top and collecting three wins.
00:55Her shocking elimination after a single trip to the bottom completely upended the season's narrative.
01:01While Mikey Meeks had been performing well all along, she never truly felt like the frontrunner because she was simply
01:06overshadowed by one of the franchise's greatest competitors.
01:24Once Jane was gone, the edit finally had room to focus on Mikey.
01:28But with only a handful of episodes remaining, there wasn't enough time to build the kind of compelling journey that
01:33makes a crowning feel inevitable.
01:35And I felt like I lost a little bit of that power within myself.
01:40And from that moment, I faced my biggest fear, which was the chance of going home, knowing I really wanted
01:46this.
01:46And from that moment on, I said, I can't be in that position again.
01:49As a result, even though Mikey's victory could be justified by her performance,
01:54the season never fully convinced many viewers that hers was the hero story it had been telling from the beginning.
01:59Well, being here, I learned how to channel that energy and what other people see in me.
02:06And now I'm standing here with that power.
02:09I came in as an ingenue, but now I'm leaving a leading lady.
02:13Number five, best, Sasha Colby.
02:15Is that Sasha Colby?
02:17Period.
02:19From the moment Sasha Colby walked into the workroom, it was abundantly clear she was the queen to beat.
02:25Introduced as your favorite drag queen's favorite drag queen, Sasha was framed as a living legend whose reputation preceded her.
02:32Everybody knows who Sasha Colby is.
02:33Sasha Colby is a legend.
02:35Sasha is competition.
02:38It's a little intimidating.
02:40Everybody's jaw is on the ground, myself included.
02:43Similar to past powerhouses who had won the show, the edit consistently highlighted her polished skill set,
02:48professionalism and effortless confidence, while also showcasing her warmth and willingness to mentor the younger queens.
02:55She wasn't directly involved in any drama.
02:58Instead, her storyline centered on her excellence and how much admiration and respect she drew from both the judges and
03:04her competitors.
03:04Some of these kids may know about your legacy, some may not.
03:08Some may be threatened by it, some may not.
03:11But it's a big deal to be the eldest and have to hold your ground.
03:15And when you come out so high, that's even harder.
03:20You exceeded expectations.
03:22The season even subtly foreshadowed her eventual victory over Anitra by having Sasha defeat her during the lip-sync Lollapurusa.
03:29It all just felt like the natural conclusion to the season's overarching story.
03:43Number four, worst, Ginger Minj.
03:46The new tournament format arguably worked against every finalist's narrative, but it may have hurt Ginger Minj the most.
03:54I'm back for the tournament of all-stars because I want the crown.
03:57I've gotten so close to it.
03:59Now all I have to do is cross the finish line.
04:01I am not to be f***ed with.
04:03I am a legend.
04:04Kiss the glamour toad and give me that crown.
04:07Because the queens were split into brackets, viewers didn't get to follow Ginger's journey continuously, making it much harder for
04:14the show to build a long-form winner's arc.
04:16While Ginger consistently performed well, many fans felt the edit leaned too heavily into telling viewers she was exceptional instead
04:23of letting that conclusion emerge organically.
04:25You define who you are, you tell us it's okay to laugh, and just to sit back and enjoy the
04:30show.
04:30It was hilarious.
04:32You know, when Jamal was talking about that sexiness, it's the confidence, that's what it was.
04:36Yeah.
04:36Because an actor prepares, and you've got that thing.
04:39Whether or not that reflected reality, the perception was that production was steering the narrative in her favor.
04:44Unlike Benda LaCreme on All Stars 3, whose near-flawless run was balanced by a compelling internal conflict, Ginger's story
04:51lacked a defining obstacle or emotional hurdle to overcome.
04:54I don't need anybody else to tell me I'm gonna do well, and I don't need anybody else to tell
04:59me what you know that they're putting hexes and curses on you.
05:02Bitch, whatever.
05:03I'm right with God, girl.
05:04It's fine.
05:05Without it, her eventual crowning didn't feel satisfying for many viewers, even though few questioned her talent.
05:11I came back to get my crown, and bitch, nothing is going to stop me from turning this out.
05:17This is it.
05:18It's gonna take a silver bullet to put me down.
05:21Number 4.
05:22Best.
05:22Alaska.
05:23I will stand out from the rest of these queens because I am more all, and I'm more star-like.
05:31Star-ish.
05:33Star-esque.
05:37Widely considered one of the greatest seasons, All Stars 2 also delivered one of the strongest winner edits.
05:42After spending her original season somewhat in the shadow of Sharon Needles, Alaska returned determined to prove she was a
05:49superstar in her own right, and the edit made that journey crystal clear.
05:53Well, I'm very happy to say they have to go to the clinic.
05:56We got a mask.
05:58You know, I go to the one on San Vicente in Santa Monica, you know what I mean, Jujubee?
06:02I've seen you there a few times.
06:04Why do you go there, Mae West?
06:06Because after your 10th visit, you get one free.
06:08She dominated the competition, landing in the top two four times and showing she could do everything, from fashion to
06:14comedy to acting.
06:16But the season widely did not portray her as flawless.
06:19After landing in the bottom, Alaska's infamous meltdown gave her story a rare crack in the armor.
06:24And I need to be in the final four, and now I'm potentially looking at, I'm not going to be,
06:31and it really f***ing sucks.
06:34Instead of defining her, though, it became the obstacle she had to overcome.
06:38She quickly regained her composure and finished strong, earning a victory that felt like the satisfying culmination of a season
06:45-long self-actualization arc.
06:46I'm feeling so proud, and so honored, and so grateful.
06:54I couldn't be more happy.
06:56Number three, worst, Crystal Method.
06:58This season 12 finalist was one of the fandom's biggest favorites, and an early pick to take the crown.
07:03Oh my gosh, this look is so chic. It looks like Jeremy Scott from Moschino.
07:09It has the humor, but it also has the high fashion silhouette. Very sophisticated, very Crystal Method.
07:17But as All Stars 11 progressed, some viewers felt the storytelling began working against her.
07:22After the bracket stage, many got the impression that production was steering the competition in Crystal's favor,
07:27as she racked up controversial wins in challenges where fans and even the queens themselves felt others had done much
07:33better.
07:34Girl, we all thought you were a real b****.
07:36Yeah.
07:38So did I.
07:41But congratulations, I'm now the Susan Lucci of the Tournament of All Stars.
07:46Also, as the top queen was prevented from participating in the Raid of Queen,
07:51Crystal was pretty much sidelined from the season's biggest conflicts,
07:54leaving her as a casual observer to the main storylines.
07:57I think you gave an amazing performance for the time constraint that you've put yourself through.
08:03But if it was done before, like everyone else was born.
08:06How can it be done before? You cheerleaded. You could put that in a backpack.
08:10I had props. I brought my own props.
08:12With no compelling personal arc, major obstacle to overcome, or clear narrative evolution,
08:18some viewers felt Crystal was simply carried to the finale and handed a crown without due justification.
08:24And I don't mean anything against Crystal, but...
08:27Talent show.
08:31That's all.
08:32Number 3. Best. Bob the Drag Queen.
08:35My drag is funny. It's irreverent. What you see is what you get.
08:40Nobody says it all.
08:43You're welcome.
08:43Season 8 could not have asked for a clearer protagonist.
08:47From the very first episode, Bob the Drag Queen was presented as an unstoppable force.
08:52She racked up three challenge wins, including one of the franchise's most memorable Snatch Game performances.
08:58Once a queen named Amon remind me of the sun.
09:04Instead of her supermodel life, she can be my wife.
09:12While she was going through something fierce in the looks department, those imperfections only made her feel more human without
09:17undermining her dominance.
09:19The season also gave her two compelling rivalries.
09:22First, a light-hearted feud with fellow New York queen Thorgy Thor, whose frustration over constantly being compared to Bob
09:28became a recurring storyline.
09:30I'm a professionally trained violinist, violist, and cellist. So, like, I have a very critical ear. Don't argue with me.
09:36I just wish you would trust me when I say, like, a suggestion.
09:39Did you not see yourself all over this song?
09:42All right. Now I know that I can't even speak without being attacked.
09:45Then, a more serious clash with Derrick Barry, as the two queens' butted heads won a challenge together, then landed
09:52in the bottom with Bob sending Derrick home.
10:04By the time the finale arrived, there was no question the $100,000 check had Bob's name on it.
10:10Number two, worst, Sasha Velour.
10:13For most of season nine, the show didn't present Sasha as the obvious protagonist.
10:17Instead, it was Shea Coulee who received that edit.
10:20So you take a RuPaul's chocolate bar.
10:23Get out of town.
10:24And you hide it in a stalk of broccoli.
10:27You're just a magician.
10:29Oh.
10:30Oh.
10:32Oh.
10:33This is chocolate revolution.
10:35Shea racked up four challenge wins, narrated much of the season, and had clear storylines with queens like Nina Bonina
10:42Brown.
10:43This is where the problem comes with you, Nina.
10:46I wasn't even trying to throw any of that your way.
10:48If I have something to say about you, Nina, I say it to you.
10:51You know I love you, and you know I keep it real.
10:53Because I don't play those games with you.
10:55On the other hand, the show emphasized Sasha's intelligence and conceptual approach to drag, but often in a way that
11:01made her feel too niche and cerebral.
11:03While she rarely got negative critiques, the edit didn't always give the audience a compelling reason to believe she had
11:08a shot at the crown.
11:09Throughout your journey, your runway looks have been genius artistic fashion moments.
11:14You're always innovative.
11:16And you managed to be consistently you and flexible enough to succeed in this competition.
11:21I've been impressed the entire time.
11:23In hindsight, production was limited in how much they could foreshadow her victory, considering the finale was filmed months after
11:30the main competition had wrapped.
11:31As a result, Sasha's eventual victory felt like a genuine shock to many fans.
11:49While she entered the competition as a comedian known for her biting insults, season six made sure audiences saw the
11:56heart beneath Bianca Del Rio's Rolodex of hate.
11:59If you don't want to get yelled at by Michelle, because didn't she tell you last time that you needed
12:03to be cinched?
12:03Yeah.
12:04I, and don't tell anybody that I'm being kind, but I have another cincher if you want me to lace
12:08you in it.
12:09I'm down.
12:10Okay, we'll do it.
12:11Time and time again, she was shown mentoring struggling queens like Adore Delano and Trinity K. Bonet, offering honest advice
12:18and encouragement that revealed a surprisingly nurturing side.
12:21That balance of toughness and compassion made her easy to root for.
12:25I think what you've done is an amazing thing, and if you ever need anything, call a hateful bitch like
12:30me, even if it's for a laugh.
12:34Bianca's secretly adorable in a certain way.
12:36Like, she's the type of person where you, like, want to hug her, and she's just like, ugh, get away.
12:40On the competitive side, Bianca was framed as virtually untouchable.
12:44She never placed low, never had to lip sync for her life, and racked up three maxi challenge wins.
12:50This only reinforced the idea that she was the one to beat.
12:54Bianca Del Rio, tonight, you didn't just kill it.
12:58You were a mass murderer.
13:02Condragulations, you are the winner of this week's challenge.
13:05Going by the show's narrative, Bianca was already the complete package who just needed a crown on her head as
13:10the cherry on top.
13:12On a serious note, as a 30-year-old man in a wig, never give up.
13:16Some f*** can really happen later in life, and I'm the most grateful guy on the planet.
13:20So thank you, thank you all.
13:22Number one, worst, Trixie Mattel.
13:25Right out of the gate, Ben de la Creme dominated the season.
13:29So, of course, the edit made her seem like the inevitable champion.
13:32This one is for my bitches with a fat ass in a f***ing club.
13:37I said, with my fat ass big bitches in a club.
13:41At the same time, Shangela was also building a compelling narrative, with the show emphasizing her remarkable growth from her
13:47original seasons.
13:48When Ben de la Creme shocked everyone by eliminating herself, it felt as though things would naturally shift toward a
13:55Shangela victory.
13:56We've lost our clear front runner, so now the rest of us are like, oh my gosh, the likelihood of
14:02me winning has just skyrocketed.
14:04This is like your pretty friend's not going to prom, and now you're like, don't forget to write.
14:11But RuPaul then announced the jury twist.
14:14Shangela was voted out of the final two, leaving Trixie Mattel, who had spent much of the season in the
14:19background, and Kennedy Davenport, who had the weakest track record to lip-sync for the crown.
14:32While Trixie was an immensely popular queen, and a deserving champion in her own right, her victory felt disconnected from
14:39the narrative that had unfolded over the previous episodes.
14:42I remember being the weird new queen in Milwaukee that nobody even wanted to give a gig to.
14:47And now I'm standing here at the very top of dry excellence, and I am so, so proud.
14:52Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
14:57Best, Jada Essence Hall.
14:59The edits steadily revealed the wit and charisma underneath Jada's polished pageant exterior.
15:04How do you plan to engage younger voters?
15:06That's a question.
15:07Yeah.
15:08Yeah, and what's the answer?
15:10Look over there!
15:12Where?
15:14Oh, that's a good one, Jada.
15:16I've never seen that device used on the debate stage before.
15:20Worst, Angeria Paris VanMichaels.
15:23While Angeria excelled, the edit seemed more invested in Roxy Andrews' redemption story.
15:29There is $200,000 for Cheria at stake here, and a crown, and a scepter.
15:34I haven't been wanting this moment for so long, and I'm ready to give it everything.
15:40Best, Simone.
15:41Simone's edit expertly balanced her cultural impact, excellence, and moments of vulnerability.
15:46It's not a moment, it is a movement.
15:49We need to continue to say their names.
15:51Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Brayla Stone, Trayvon Martin, Tony McDade, Nina Pope, Monica Diamond.
16:00Worst, Violet Tchotchke.
16:02While undeniably talented, Violet's edit rarely ventured beyond the young fashion queen archetype.
16:07I'm numb from the waist down, tuck included.
16:11I really could die, bitch.
16:12I'm giving you realness.
16:13She's got a smaller waist than Barbie.
16:15Wow, don't sneeze, honey.
16:17It's all gonna pop.
16:18Amazing.
16:19Worst.
16:20Number one, best, Jinx Monsoon.
16:23Oh, girl.
16:24You know, I can hear the cackling from down the street.
16:27The gold standard of a Drag Race winner's edit, Jinx Monsoon's journey had everything a compelling reality TV story could
16:33ask for.
16:33Entering the competition as a quirky, theater-loving comedy queen, she found herself surrounded by polished pageant veterans who often
16:40dismissed her unconventional style of drag.
16:42You know what you can do, but you play the card as the innocent, I don't know, maybe I'm in
16:47the bottom two, and I feel like, you know, I...
16:50I'm not acting when I say I'm insecure about things, though.
16:54Week after week, Jinx proved them wrong.
16:56She was routinely critiqued for her makeup and fashion, and she tried to improve without sacrificing her unique identity.
17:03Her season-long rivalry with Roxy Andrews gave her a clear obstacle to overcome, as she was repeatedly underestimated and
17:09belittled in the workroom.
17:11So what has been your favorite moment throughout this competition?
17:16Seeing you in the bottom two.
17:20I just don't get what's so rewarding about being hurtful like that.
17:25By the penultimate episode, the Rilaska Talks alliance was still largely intact, but Jinx outlasted them, eliminating Detox before advancing
17:33to the finale.
17:34When she ultimately claimed the crown, it felt like the triumphant conclusion to a season-long underdog story.
17:40Do you have anything you'd like to say?
17:42Get ready, bitches, because it's monsoon season!
17:46Which Drag Race winner do you think received the most compelling edit?
17:49Let us know in the comments.
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