‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 16 episode 16 recap: ‘Grand Finale’

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 16 concluded on April 19 with the sixteenth episode in RuPaul’s quest to find “America’s next drag superstar.” Vying for the crown in the “Grand Finale” were three finalists: New York’s Nymphia Wind, Boston’s Plane Jane, and Philadelphia’s Sapphira Cristál.

Previously in episode 15, the eliminated queens returned to compete in a first ever “LipSync Lalaparuza Smackdown – Reunited” episode. In a nine-lip sync tournament, Morphine Love Dion came out on top as the ultimate lip sync assassin of the season and was named “Queen of She Already Done Had Hereses” with a $50,000 cash prize.

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In this week’s final episode, Nymphia, Jane and Sapphira all perform an original number and then a third place finisher is determined. Additionally, the previously eliminated queens walk the runway once more and Miss Congeniality is named. Then, the last two standing compete in one final, title-earning Lip Sync for the Crown to snatch the $200,000 grand prize.

Check out our full recap of episode 16 below:

In another departure from how “Grand Finale” episodes have happened in recent seasons, we returned to the “all new” Main Stage inside the studio that was debuted for last week’s Lalaparuza. RuPaul Charles kicked off the episode with a performance of her new song “Pull Up” and then introduced the season judges Michelle Visage, Ts Madison, Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews as the panel that would help decide the season 16 winner all in front of a live audience of fans.

First up, all the queens of the season walked the runway in their own “Grand Finale Eleganza” looks. Hershii LiqCour-Jeté redeemed herself in a gorgeous blue sequin fitted gown, Mirage brought neon heat to the catwalk, Amanda Tori Meating shuffled down in a muted purple dress, Geneva Karr wore a busy piece with way too many embellishments, Megami unveiled another dark side of her costuming, Xunami Muse showed leg for days in an asymmetrical number, Plasma looked like she stepped off the set of “Wicked” in a golden fairy gown, Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige delivered glamour in a silver tassle dress, Dawn kept it odd in another elf ensemble, Morphine looked filthy rich in a slick reflective old Hollywood gown, and Q was all shoulder and legs in a large blue gown. The first look we saw from Nymphia was a large banana that unpeeled to reveal her in a yellow dress, from Jane was a red ball gown unlike anything she’s shown before, and from Sapphira was a goddess warrior inspired gold and blue look with her ill-sized breast plate out in all its non-glory.

Prior to Nymphia’s performance, she delivered a package of clips from the season while describing herself in voice-over as the “gorgeous odd ball” that had “fashion moments” on the runway all season long. She said she learned a “wide variety of skillsets” and boasts that she never placed in the bottom despite a “low point” during “Snatch Game.” In her performance to a song called “Queen of Wind,” Nymphia started by showing off her Taiwanese culture with a traditional costumed and then stripped it away to perform in a bejeweled lavender catsuit while gusts of wind gave her Beyonce stage hair and the male dancers lifted her in the air.

In critiques, Michelle told Nymphia that “tonight was the epitome” of who she is as a drag performer because she merged her culture and fashion together. Carson agrees that she’s had a positive “trajectory” and her dance number was “drag excellence.” Nymphia told Ru that fashion has always been her way of expressing herself and a way of coming into her “higher self” after being a “lonely” child. She was joined in the audience by her mom and best friend.

Prior to Jane’s performance, she emphasized her strengths in the competition as her “confidence” and “clownery” while insisting that she showed “nothing short of drag excellence.” She said she learned to “lower her guard” over the course of the competition and ultimately “bared [her] soul” and found a “sisterhood.” In her performance of “Body Suit,” Jane delivered a very Erika Jayne-coded dance number wearing, what else, but a black body suit that shows the perfectly sculpted hourglass figure she showed every week on the runway. The big moment of the number was stripping away the black body suit to reveal a second, neon pink and green body suit underneath it.

During critiques, Michelle took issue with the subject of the song because in the past she’s been known to clock girls for wearing too many body suits, but in reality she thought it would have been improved if she had more than just one body suit reveal. Ross added that she has so much talent and referenced her “Burger Finger” moment from the premiere. In her conversation with Ru, Jane once again struggled to show any vulnerability and instead relied on humor and her body. She was joined in the audience by her mom and best friend Big Atlas, another drag queen.

Prior to Sapphira’s performance, she reminds us that it took 11 auditions in order for her to get cast on the show, but it feels “right” now because she was able to “show great drag.” She said she learned to “love myself even more” and has “been on [her] A game the entire time.” She began her performance of “Learned to Love Me” with a brief operatic section and then quickly shifted into a more traditional dance number. Her performance was the most high energy of all three and had the most intense and quick choreography.

In critiques, Ts called the performance “some next level Beyonce sh*t” with the way she was moving on stage. Michelle was pleased that she showed so much of herself in that single performance. In a conversation with Ru, Sapphira challenged any haters of drag as being “afraid of freedom” because drag queens only exist to spread love and joy. She was joined in the audience by her mom and best friend as well.

Taking a step away from the season’s queens for a moment, Ru introduced a special reflection on the impact and legacy of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark performer Cassandra Peterson and bestowed upon her the Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award.

Next, Ru brought back the top three queens to announce which of them would not advance in the competition. She declared that the two moving on were Sapphira and Nymphia, leaving Jane as the third place finisher. Still, she was given a $25,000 cash tip and well wishes from Ru as she left the stage for the final time.

After a touching tribute to all the moms of the season 16 queens, last season’s crowned mom Sasha Colby made her return to the stage for a hair-whipping, neck-snapping and strut-heavy performance of “Her.” Then, following a commercial break, Sasha came back in a stunning oversized jeweled angel-wing crown and described her experiences over the last year as the reigning queen.

Because it’s an election year, Ru wanted to double down on her campaign to increase the voting population with an encore strut down the stage from the season 16 queens to her song “Power.” Naturally, they walked in groups wearing the colors blue, white and red. Then, last season’s Miss Congeniality Malaysia Babydoll Foxx came to the stage to pass the torch on to this season’s peer-voted award recipient. For the first time, there was a tie and both Xunami and Sapphira were named Miss Congeniality! They each won an extra cash tip of $10,000 and the remaining queens were awarded a consolation tip of $2,000.

Taking the stage for the last time, Nymphia and Sapphira prepared for the Lip Sync for the Crown. Sapphira’s elegant blue gown seemed more restrictive than it should be for a performance, especially compared to Nymphia who was clearly prepared for a reveal moment by starting in a draped cape. In the LSFTC to “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue, both queens started off very slowly — Sapphira showed off vampire fangs in her mouth and Nymphia played up slightly comedic elements in the lyrics. Nymphia earned the first wow moment when she tore off her cape and black balloons flew into the air and then she stripped away layers of a brightly colored suit all culminating in a cartwheel that tore away the remaining pieces until she was left in a yellow bikini and knee high boots. Meanwhile, Sapphira had unzipped her gown to her own more breathable body suit in her signature royal blue color and was writhing and gyrating across the stage with her breast plate bouncing. Over the course of the performance, both queens unleashed a flurry of acrobatic tricks and perfectly timed dance moments.

After all was said and done, Ru announced her decision that the winner of season 16 and “America’s next drag superstar” is Nymphia Wind!

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