Who Will Win 'Drag Race' Season 16? Episode 13 Power Rankings
With only four queens left in the competition, we are quickly approaching the finale of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16. While there are still a few weeks left and we don't know exactly how the end game will be formatted, we certainly know plenty about our top four and can make some educated guesses as to how things will shake out.
This week, on her fourth trip to the bottom, Miami's Morphine Love Dion was finally sent packing by Sapphira Cristal. Ever since Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige's exit, Morphine has been hovering at the bottom of the leader board and with no wins, she was the odd queen out in the top five. Her elimination really only leaves this season's heavy hitters.
Related: 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8' Take New York. Next Stop: the World.
Which brings us to the question: Who will win Season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race?
To that end, I've put together a ranking of the top four queens competing on this season, ordered from least likely to most likely to be crowned America's Next Drag Superstar. It's a power ranking if you will, and while there are supposed spoilers on dark corners of the internet, I haven't read any of them. This ranking is also based on how likely the queen is to WIN the competition, not just go far.
If you want to take a look at last week's ranking, here you go.
Feel free to swing back to Parade from week to week because I will be updating as the season unfolds.
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16 Episode 13 power rankings:
MTV
4. Nymphia Wind
Last Week: Fourth
Track Record: Safe, Win, Safe, Win, Safe, Safe, Bottom, Top, Immune, Top, Safe, Top
With Morphine's exit, there now remains two tiers of queens: the two-win queens, Nymphia and Q, and the four-win queens, Sapphira and Plane Jane. Unless something odd happens (and it's Drag Race so you never really know), I think we're headed to a Sapphira vs. Plane Jane battle for the crown which means that Nymphia and Q will need to be eliminated somehow. While Nymphia has delivered consistently remarkable runways, she's been fairly average in other challenges and this week's critique about her obsession with yellow makes me wonder if we won't get more of that in the future. If Q and Nymphia end up in the bottom together, I have no doubt that Nymphia will make the top three. However, if Nymphia has to face off against Plane Jane of Sapphira, she will be going home next.
MTV
3. Q
Last Week: Third
Track Record: Top, Top, Top, Bottom, Win, Top, Safe, Win, Safe, Safe, Safe, Top
Q has been edged out for the win repeatedly in the back half of this competition and that does not bode well for her chances at taking home the crown. Both of her challenge wins were in design challenges, and I sort of doubt we'll see that skill set needed again. Her weakness is performance and that, however, will 100% be a key component of the final weeks. If Q was entering the finale ahead, she could probably work around a lip sync weakness, but I just don't see a way for her to surpass both Plane Jane and Sapphira without MAJOR missteps from both front runners.
MTV
2. Sapphira Cristal
Last Week: First
Track Record: Win, Top, Safe, Safe, Immune, Top, Top, Safe, Win, Win, Win, Bottom
While Sapphira's three wins in a row streak had her in the top slot last week, her trip to the bottom this week puts her back in second place. Season 16 will come down to a nail-biting finish between Sapphira and Plane Jane, but when it comes down to it, I think Plane Jane is a more unique winner and better embodiment of the future of drag. I also think it hurts Sapphira a bit that we've now seen her lip sync three times whereas Plane Jane hasn't had to lip sync since Episode 2. If it comes down to a battle, Miss Jane still has tricks up her sleeves. I'm not so sure Sapphira does.
MTV
1. Plane Jane
Last Week: Second
Track Record: Win, Safe, Top, Safe, Top, Safe, Win, Safe, Safe, Safe, Win, Win
With her second win in a row and fourth of the season, Plane Jane is back in first position. This week further solidified her spot as the queen to beat for two reasons. First, her nudging out Q for the victory signals that Ru sees Plane Jane as a contender for the crown and wants to make this a two-queen race. If Q had won, that would have essentially made this a Q vs. Sapphira vs. Plane Jane three-way battle, but that narrative is no longer at play. Second, we've got more vulnerable narratives from Plane Jane now two weeks in a row in the Werk Room. While Miss Jane came into the competition as the villain, she's certainly getting a fuller character arc now befitting a winner (and a siiiiisssssttteeeerrrrrr).
Next, Everything You Need to Know About RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16