S16.E16: The Finale!

[davidcalgary29]

The Finale is finally here!

Thankfully, WoW wisely decides to reward viewers for perservering through what has sometimes been a slog of a season by presenting us with a largely brisk, entertaining hour of celebration. After reintroducing all of the season's contestants -- Plasma in particular is sleek and sophisticated, and Amanda really needs makeup lessons -- each of our three finalists get high tempo numbers to showcase their branding. Nymphia is pretty good, and Sapphira is sophisticated and assured, but Plane gets saddled with a boring number which attempts to celebrate her basic fashion choices. She does not look happy about this, and I do not blame her. This time.

Plane is quickly cut, and we get a surprise when both Xunami and Sapphira are crowned Miss Congeniality. "Cool!" I think. "The first winner also to get Miss Congeniality!".

And boy am I wrong, as after Nymphia provides a zesty lipsynch to "Padam Padam"...she wins!

Wow,was I wrong about the outcome on this, and it doesn't make much narrative sense in the context of the season, as she rarely was its focus. Still, her fashion was killer and she's absolutely got some stellar dance moves.

Still: what happened, Miss Cristal?

 

Edited April 20, 2024 by davidcalgary29

[Nilknarf]

Absolutely amazing! I was convinced it was preordained for Saphira but woohoo! 
So happy for Nymphia! Despite Saphira’s mesmerizing opera chops, Nymphia finessed her way to the crown!
 

I have to say they showed their hand by tying Saphira for Miss Congenuality. 

But Nymphia blew the lipsynch away!

All hail our new queen!

[Madding crowd]

I guessed after Plane got the body suit number she would not win. Then Michelle commented on expecting several bodysuits but it would be hard to layer decorated bodysuits and not have it look strange. I didn’t like Sapphira’s breasts in the first outfit, they looked like plastic balls. I have watched every season and this is the first one I didn’t have a preference for the winner. Congrats to Nymphia!

[Red Bridey]

I hope Plane was cut for her mean girl attitude. RuPaul should not have rewarded that behavior. I was surprised that Nymphia won. Thought Sapphira had it in the bag. But no complaints...well, maybe I found Nymphia's banana branding tiresome but she sure did pull herself together for the runways. (Half-hearted clapclapclap)

[Adeejay]

Didn’t see that coming.  The moment Sapphira was announced as Miss Congeniality, I had a feeling she wasn’t going to win. Clearly, the other contestants slept on Nymphia.  Since she’d never lip synch, no one knew her capabilities.  That she was a choreographer for K-Pop groups should have been a clue.  I am willing to bet that Plain Jane regrets saving her with the potion.  Speaking of Plain Jane, that was bad sportsmanship of her to leave before the show was over.

[TiffanyNichelle]

I am shocked. I thought Sapphira had it all locked up so even though I thought Nymphia did better at their lip synch I was sure she still wasn't going to win. I was just hoping she would show up on All Stars. I think her win was well deserved because both of her performances were so good.

 

[davidcalgary29]

5 minutes ago, Adeejay said:

Didn’t see that coming.  The moment Sapphira was announced as Miss Congeniality, I had a feeling she wasn’t going to win. 

Well that, and the smile that she plastered on her face suggested that something wasn't adding up for a win.

I wasn't really invested in any of the finalists, but should make it clear that I don't think that Nymphia is a poor choice for a winner: my problem is with the writers, and not her. She was so underwritten as a character during the season -- she was presented as schtick on top of Schtick -- that it's hard to remember any moment from the show where she wasn't self-produced or making fart noises. Something really went wrong with the writers, here, and I'd be sort of curious to know exactly what that was.

[Starchild]

28 minutes ago, Adeejay said:

Speaking of Plain Jane, that was bad sportsmanship of her to leave before the show was over.

Is that what happened? I kept wondering why I didn't see her with the other queens after the cut.

It can be rough to keep going when your delusion balloon gets punctured.

Sweet mom though.

[luckyroll3]

I've never been so happy to be wrong. I'm still over here screaming my damn head off for Nymphia!

[CraftyHazel]

1 hour ago, Starchild said:

Is that what happened? I kept wondering why I didn't see her with the other queens after the cut.

It can be rough to keep going when your delusion balloon gets punctured.

Sweet mom though.

Hmmm…I had assumed she didn’t have enough time to get into the white costume and make herself up for that look, but I wasn’t paying much attention, honestly.  I did notice that she looked extremely annoyed at not being in the top two.  I’m sure that didn’t figure into her vision of how the season would end for her.  Editing only goes so far, honestly, and I think she seems like a deeply unpleasant person.  If she really did bail on the red/white/blue number out of spite, she loses any grudging respect she may have earned.

Anyway, I am very happy for Nymphia’s win.  This season felt like such a repeat of last year in many ways.  I was expecting Sapphira to be crowned, and she would have been a worthy winner for certain, but the way she has been edited has made it seem like she could do no wrong, just like Sasha Colby last year.  

[violet and green]

It certainly was a fast edit. At the start they kept lingering on some guy who looked familiar. (I kept thinking, is that Bradley Cooper?? No... Then I remembered who it was - Nico Tortellini! I thought. Tortorella, rather.) I had to stop and rewind many times as there where things that flashed by so fast.

Amanda, who really needs someone to step in and remove the burgundy shades from her lipstick collection, and who is still one of my favorites of the season had a really passionate reaction to one lipsync, but I can no longer remember whose it was. There were so many moments I thought, did I see that? Was Saphira actually wearing vampire teeth in the final number? And where did it go? She could have done a whole vampire reveal.

Didn't even notice any absence of Plain Jane after she got the heave-ho, but $25K (same as the runner up) is nice, I would think. But I saw her in a white sparkly bodysuit outfit, sitting with the rest of the queens, and snapping her fingers in appreciation in time with the beat all through the final lipsync, so she can't have left the building.

I'm quite pleased Nymphia won the season and was awarded for her fashion sense and versatility, and vulnerability, in the end. I thought Saphira had it in the bag, as Ru seemed so transfixed with her, and her opening number with the opera start was amazing (maybe that's when Amanda went off).

So many young women in the audience. It's a real switch in demographic for a finale. A very odd season. I hope to see Amanda again, with a glow-up, and considerably less harsh makeup. Am guessing the number of Amanda reaction shots in this finale was production taking notice of the viewing public's appreciation for her; ditto, a Nymphia win, which was really heartwarming.

In short, Amanda!

[Red Bridey]

I did notice Amanda's stone faced reaction shot to Plane's interview...and I was right there with her. Bitch!

[Starchild]

I was Team Sapphira but not bothered by Nymphia's win. They were pretty evenly matched through the season, and this might be one of those times where it really did come down to the final lipsync.

And in that lipsync Sapphira was good, but Nymphia was just a little bit better. 

[Christine]

Plane may have given Nymphia the immunity potion, but that was the week that no one went home - so she didn't exactly "save" Nymphia.

[Salacious Kitty]

10 minutes ago, Christine said:

Plane may have given Nymphia the immunity potion, but that was the week that no one went home - so she didn't exactly "save" Nymphia.

Nymphia could have used the potion after her wretched Snatch Game. She was really lucky that week. 

Congratulations girl. Taiwan represent!

[bluvelvet]

I wanted a Sapphira win but I’m not mad at Nymphia. Nymphia definitely played a good game and under sold herself. 

[SemiCharmedLife]

I just couldn't believe it when Ru announced the winner!  I've been loving Nymphia Wind since MTQ, particularly her runways.  I just thought that Sapphira nailed so many challenges and had amazing runways, too, that she would be crowned this season.  I literally screamed with joy and did a little happy dance, because I just didn't see it coming.

Regarding the solo numbers, the producers definitely played favorites with the songs and presentation.  Nymphia's was so beautiful and she had all those lifts and the scarf blowing dramatically in the wind.  Memorable.  Sapphira's song started out with that operatic part, and the visual was stunning!  The other queens were on their feet cheering for Sapphira as she slayed that song.  And, then, we had Plane Jane singing about a body suit.  No, ma'am. 

Congrats to our Banana Buddha.  I can't wait to see what she brings to her reign.

[Wonderlad71]

I got spoiled the winner (By a close Taiwanese friend who messaged me off guard) but part of me was not surprised. Nymphia came into the season with the most followers and is still streaks ahead in that regard. And she gave an amazing finale lipsync. Still I thought she (and Plane) have more to offer a future All Stars  than Sapphira - which I why I thought Sapphira will win this round. 

Overall this was a really good cast and IMO there was better momentum and flow than with seasons 13-15 with few dud moments despite the length (that potion storyline was a misfire though).

 

Edited April 22, 2024 by Wonderlad71

[xander874]

Pleasantly surprised at the winner. I thought Sapphira turned out some great looks and always presented well, but there were a couple of times when she rubbed me the wrong way with her superiority complex. I was okay with her winning but glad Nymphia took it.

Glad Jane didn't win and was third. She needed that smug look wiped away. She was a solid performer but I also think she was a bully and it bothers me that everyone let that continue considering what the drag community is going through. Tearing down each other is a bad display. Don't get me wrong, I love some good shade, but this was just venom. I get it's good TV, but the werkroom should be a safe space. I'm sure we'll get a Plane/Amanda face-off in a future All-Stars.

Edited April 22, 2024 by xander874
Cause I over edit

[Kaboom 2.0]

So happy Nymphia was crowned! I love Sapphira (or is that Slew-phira; good one, Visage) but our Banana Buddha shone just a bit brighter in the finale. Congrats, girl, and congrats to Taiwan! Also loved seeing their mommas and the other queens too. 

It won't surprise you to read I fast forwarded thru Jane's segment and performance, she can take her stank face and burger finger and f--- off. I saw her bodysuit performance as I fast forwarded and knew she wasn't gonna advance. STALE. And I LOVED Amanda's non reaction to Jane's performance. 

I also muted Ru's performance, been doing that for years. 

Cassandra Peterson is in icon and its always so great to see her, love love love to the dark goddess AND Sasha Colby on the same ep!

[Starchild]

11 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

And, then, we had Plane Jane singing about a body suit.

I wonder if Jane just got what she was capable of handling.

[Mahfouz]

This was the right call by Ru.

Of the final three, Nymphia brought the most creativity and originality to her drag. I can't even imagine how PJ didn't get read one time by any of the judges for the seemingly endless supply of one-piece bathing suit outfits she brought to the stage. And in a sense, Saffira already won because the exact same queen won Season 1 only in the form of Bebe Zaharia Benet. 

Quite a few great choices for All-Stars from this season. Q, Dawn, Amanda, PJ, Megami.

 

[ruffy666]

I think PJ miscalculated how much people appreciate a bitch.  There's a fine line between campy villain and just mean for no reason and while she is UNDENIABLY talented, she really overplayed the mean girl stuff.

In a way I would've been ok with any of the final 3 winning but Hubbie and I both cheered for Nymphia's victory... her looks are incredible and her makeup is always absolutely flawless, so seeing her turn out a great lip synch was just *chef's kiss*

[TVbitch]

Also thought it was a nice surprise. I love it when a queen turns out for the finale and simply will not be denied. Nymphia is so polished in many aspects of drag and deserved it. 

Great to see Cassandra P. For a second I thought Elvira was dead! She needs to turn up at judging more or be a branding coach for some challenges. 

[SemiCharmedLife]

I noticed WOW Presents is airing a show starring Elvira, presenting horror movies, I believe.  I don't know if it is a new show or one of her older shows being rerun.