‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4’: what are the queens’ chances heading into the finale?

Welcome to Drag Race Power Rankings! Every Saturday, we’ll debrief the previous night’s new episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4 to determine which queens are riding high, and which need she-mergency care. This week, we say goodbye once again to Latrice Royale, and look toward what’s now seeming like an inevitable crowning.

5. Latrice Royale (last week: 4) — ELIMINATED

I’m really glad Latrice got to come back after her first elimination and show off so much of the personality she’s beloved for. We were hitting something of a crisis point, with longtime fans (I was one of them) of hers troubled by both her attitude and challenge performance this season. I’m bummed no one from pre–Season 7 — the golden era of the show — will be in the finale, but considering the season as a whole, Latrice would’ve been an odd fit in the final four.

4. Naomi Smalls (last week: 2)

Naomi needed another win under her belt to be a legitimate threat for the All Stars 4 crown. Unfortunately, she didn’t get it this week. So I return to my previous, seemingly correct analysis of Naomi’s game: while she was an impressive force all season, she was too invisible in the edit for the first half of the season to realistically take home the title.

3. Monét X Change (last week: 3)

I keep waiting for Monét to really show me she can win this season, because I have faith she has the skills and the fire to do it. The fact that she’s final four is impressive enough as-is. But we’re at the finale and I still don’t think there’s a strong argument for her win. In particular, it’s baffling that a queen most known for her lip syncing only managed one tie win out of three chances at-bat. She could still win this — any of the top three could — but I think it’s very unlikely at this point.

2. Monique Heart (last week: 5)

Monique ekes out an all-important third win at the last second, and even without the lip-sync win, she’s still very well-positioned going into the finale. Monique’s biggest issue, as it has been for the duration of both all of All Stars 4 and Season 10, is that the judges just don’t seem to like her all that much. This week was the first time I can remember them giving her complete, unreserved, enthusiastic praise.

I don’t know why they seem so apathetic to Monique. Her overall performance this season in particular has proven why she’s a beloved fan favourite. But keeping the judges excited for just one more week will be the final obstacle between her and the Drag Race Hall of Fame, and it may prove insurmountable.

1. Trinity the Tuck (last week: 1)

I say crown her. Feels like it’s done. I would be truly, totally floored if anyone else won All Stars 4. Trinity’s record is unimpeachable: four wins, two lip-sync wins, and only one trip to the bottom (when it was a huge bottom four). She’s won.

To be honest, I’m worried about what a fifth white or white-presenting winner in a row will signify for this show, especially considering how stacked this season was with queens of colour. The VH1 incarnation of Drag Race has not crowned even a single Black winner, while the nine Logo seasons crowned three Black winners — plus an Asian winner and a Latinx winner.

Now, the issue here is less that Trinity will be crowned without deserving it; judging by track record, she very much will. You could argue that Trinity shouldn’t pay the price for a format switch screwing Shea Couleé out of a win in Season 9, or the jury twist that screwed Shangela out of a win in All Stars 3.

I’d agree with you — while also emphasizing that there’s inherent privilege in framing a Trinity loss as unfair when Shea and Shangela are often not given the same courtesy by Sasha Velour and Trixie Mattel fans.

I don’t think there’s any stopping the Trinity train, but god, I shudder to think what a white winner of Season 11 would do to this franchise.