RuPaul's Drag Race Episode 16 Recap: Did a Florida Queen Take Home the Crown?

On last week's LalapaRuza episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, the top four queens took a backseat as the eliminated contestants returned for a standalone competition before Friday's grand finale. Fort Lauderdale's Suzie Toot took home the cash prize after being eliminated one week prior, and the finale put the spotlight back on the remaining queens.

Overall, the finale was terrific, but there was one caveat. The recent decision to film on a soundstage with a limited audience, instead of a theater with a huge audience, made the whole thing feel slightly canned. It was an understandable move meant to avoid spoilers, but anyone who knows where to look can still find out what happened before the episode airs. It would be preferable to return to an epic Los Angeles theater with an audience full of fans and Drag Race vets in the future.

After the eliminated performers got one last opportunity to seal their legacy on the show (at least until All Stars), each finalist showed off their final look, followed by a produced video package of their greatest moments, a musical number, and an interview.

Jewels Sparkles' over-the-top pink number perfectly captured her sweet yet sexy aesthetic, managing to be both larger-than-life and incredibly sleek. Her video package showcased her many memorable moments and reminded everyone that, despite not having the most wins this season, she had an exceptional run on the show. Her physical comedy-infused number recalled Sabrina Carpenter's Grammys performance. Miami-raised, Tampa-based Jewels, one of three Florida queens on Season 17, also excelled in the interview, during which she spoke to her younger self and made an argument for her crowning that was both extremely personal and urgently political.

Lexi Love's Victoria's Secret-inspired look of flowers and feathers fit her avant-garde brand. Her video package focused on her efforts to overcome her inner saboteur, but she never got the narrative resolution of truly conquering her self-doubt. Her Xanadu fever dream of a musical number was delightfully bizarre, while her interview section was as moving as all of her confessional moments throughout the season. Still, it lacked the gravitas of Jewels and Onya Nurve's segments.

Onya's video package showed her tremendous growth across the season, from a self-imposed loner to the season's frontrunner who charmed a new group of sisters. The greatest singer of the bunch, Onya benefited from showcasing her own vocals during the musical number, but she still delivered the weakest performance of the night. For bonus points, Onya's mom proved to be an equal star to both her and her father, who should forever be known as Roberta Bankz."

Sam Star corralled a look that highlighted her country background. The cowgirl glamour was fitting but less impressive than the other looks presented. Sam's struggle to loosen up was the overarching narrative of Sam's video package and season trajectory, but she still seemed a bit uptight. The reveals and acrobatics in her performance dazzled the eye, but they lacked the charisma and personality of her competitors' numbers.

Before the final two were announced, Sapphira Cristál and Xunami Muse returned to award "Miss Congeniality" to Crystal Envy, and Nymphia Wind returned to the stage with a gorgeous look and a mockumentary updating fans on her life since she won the last season of Drag Race. But the true highlight was a surprise appearance by icon Liza Minnelli, whose "Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award" tribute was educational, entertaining, and emotional. From the way she posed in her chair to her seated dancing and witty repartee, Liza erased all memory of that frail Oscars appearance.

Then, RuPaul announced the final two — the expected Onya and the less expected Jewels. After Sam and Lexi's exit, Jewels and Onya performed Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra." It was a timely song selection — Gaga headlined the second weekend of Coachella that night — but maybe not the best for a Lip-Sync for the Crown. The song's charm is its percussive, almost overpowering beat, but it's a song that almost denies an individual interpretation. At times, it felt like Jewels and Onya were simply mimicking the music video instead of making the song their own. Jewels' stunts, reveals, and split conveyed the song's manic energy, while Onya, without any tricks, captured the song's exorcist dance energy.

The lip-sync felt like an even match, so the ultimate decision came down to track record. Onya's impressive win tally and nearly flawless season outweighed Jewels' stellar, if slightly flawed run. These decisions also come down to who has more to show on All Stars. Really, what else does Onya have to prove or show on another season of Drag Race? Onya deserves this win as a contestant who has shown more charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent than any other in recent memory.