RuPaul’s Drag Race Finale Recap: Did the Right Queen Win Season 13?
After 16 weeks (or was it 16 months?) of fierce competition, Friday’s RuPaul’s Drag Race finale closed the book on one of the most twisted seasons in herstory.
A marked improvement over last season’s all-virtual finale, though still not quite the spectacle to which fans have become accustomed, Friday’s main event pit our Top 4 — Gottmik, Kandy Muse, Rose and Symone — against one another in all-out smackdown for the crown.
Heading into the long-awaited coronation, 44 percent of TVLine readers expected the night to end with Symone being named America’s Next Drag Superstar, with Gottmik (31 percent) and Rosé (22 percent) following closely behind. As for Miss Congeniality, most readers assumed that honor would be bestowed upon Olivia Lux.
The night kicked off with the grande dame herself, RuPaul, performing “New Friends Silver, Old Friends Gold” which set the bar high. The Top 4 graced the stage for a final runway, a drag ball, showing off their best fashion in the categories “Black and White,” “Red All Over” and “Grand Finale Eleganza Extravaganza.” On a touching note, the finale also featured a heartfelt tribute to Chi Chi DeVayne, who passed away in August.
A Britney Spears-themed final four lip sync began with Rose and Kandy Muse facing off to the tune of “Work B–ch.” This also gave us the first elimination of the night, as Ru sent Rose sashaying away.
Lip sync number two found Symone going up against Gottmik in a fierce battle set to Britney’s “Gimme More.” It was a close call, but Symone was pronounced the winner, knocking Gottmik out of the competition.
And just like that, we were down to Kandy Muse and Symone as the final two queens of Season 13. Their fates were ultimately determined by way of Britney’s “Till the World Ends,” a ferocious battle that required both competitors to leave everything on the stage.
When the dust and glitter settled, RuPaul made the big announcement: The winner of Season 13 is… Symone!
(As for Miss Congeniality, that honor was, indeed, bestowed upon LaLa Ri. Long may she reign.)
How well did you predict the results of Friday’s grand finale? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.
I thought the Rose Kandy lip sync was kind of meh, but I was shocked that Kandy somehow ended up the runner up of the season and I though Gottmik did significantly better than Symone. I thought Gottmik was really great in the lip sync and Symone just kind of runway walked around the stage. I’m glad Symone won in the end but I think the second lip sync was a bad call
Gotmik is LEGENDARY. Symone is lovely and I’m not upset by her win at all I just don’t think she deserved it. The iconic fashion, the first transgender queen, the impeccibile fashion choices and makeup… I could go on and on about how the level that Gotmik brings it to is sky high w. . Gotmik is just so talented this QUEEN sUPeRSTAr blew me the fu#k away!
Gottmik is only “LEGENDARY” to someone unfamiliar with the style of common 80s rock bands like KISS, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, etc. To you everything about him is unique and you are blown away. However, just because you type in caps “LEGENDARY” does not make your subjective opinion a fact! And just because you falsely think he was the “first transgender queen” on the show does not make that a fact because I recall Gia, Carmen, Peppermint, Kylie Sonique, etc and more were both contestants on the show and transgender. Peppermint. Peppermint was the very first contestant to begin the show as an openly transgender and spoke openly about her journey on camera and came in 2nd place season 9.
Okay. So Gottmik draws her inspiration from 80’s rock in some ways–still legendary because she did it in a way that has not been seen before. Symone is everything, a powerhouse for sure, but there is nothing unique about her point-of-view; it’s been done before on this show, just not as polished. (Shea Coulee comes to mind…as does Jaida…and Monique Heart…) And yes, Gottmik is the first trans-male queen to ever be on the show, so…yeah, that’s a thing, too. With a little self-reflection, you may find that there is something a little deeper and darker coloring your impressions of Gottmik.
GotMik is the first trans man to compete yes there has been trans women on the show before
Yah he was the first.. i think anthony gregory is lost🤣
Gotmik identifies as they or them. Not he.
No, he does not. He identifies as he/him out of drag, and she/her in drag. See this clip: https://twitter.com/RuPaulsDragRace/status/1347722717320142848
Agreed. Gotmik is so lucky to have made to the top 4 (which was a stretch because and kandy did not belong there to begin with). Gotmik needs to get over himself. He is not good, and acts like a spoiled prima donna with now real talent. Past transgender talent were ones you could root for, gotmik just wanted me hit the mute button.
No real talent.
I agree she got on my last nerves
COMPLETELY AGREE!!
Amen to all of it David! I can’t stand her attitude and I had the highest of hopes for her.
Agree! Got Milk lol! Is a make up artist and fashion idealist yes but no real talent as a true drag queen he can’t lipsinc good either. Rose was robbed.
Speck..this is true.gotmilk had great fashion but lip sync stuck.and kandy muse also.her suit was poorly fitted. Klux should have been there muse was to go home but ru saved her wrong.lala should have stay Danili and shanice had great fashion. Muse should have went home.sorry I got tired of got milk Paris above and that fake laughing. Symone kept doing her small time looks loved it she remained me of evie oddly.
So bitter CJ. Everyone draws inspiration from myriad sources.
And yes they shared their subjective opinion. That’s the entire point of an opinion.
Mik was writhing all over the stage in a way that just didn’t fit the song. And she could not match Symone’s stage presence.
Right .. mik be like tah-dee-tah-dah-bam-bam-bam… But it just chaos, shes off d beat.. while symone is doing those little big steps but powerful and engaging
ROFL – your blind and ignorance is bliss…
I felt exactly the same Kandy did nothing but maybe bounce around a little bit. Rose should have won.
CUTN Rose has a little Charisma, Talent, Nerve but missing the Unique factor. Kandy has all 4 requirements and delivers all 4 despite being very unpolished. Then there is the other unspoken factor of Kandy being more appealing visually than Rose. Rose moves like an old person and his fashion choices are that of someone older than his age. Every time Rose talks or performs you are left with who is Rose? He always seems very fake, reserved, and overly rehearsed so that lessons his charisma and real energy that should be given during a lip synch.
Rose I find much more appealing as a performer and a person then I do Kandy muse Overall this season just did not impress me as much as last season
Wow. Here it is–proof that you have no credibility. There was nothing unique about Kandy. (other than how she somehow evolutionarily adapted to be able to survive after sucking all the oxygen out of a room) This show has had far more impressive filler-queens than Kandy, so she falls really low on that scale, too. Ru created Kandy’s arc, and then had to commit to dragging her across the finish line despite herself. Now your attacking Rose’s movement?! Gurl, please…talk about subjective opinions. Kandy’s lip-sync dance repertoire was just Pearl with some caffeine (and desperation) added in.
Yeah kandy shouldn’t have been there she was the worst and I got tired of got milk
All Kandy did was flap her arms around. She couldn’t even keep the lip sync believable. Rose was working on an injured ankle and had the sync on lock!
Right.. that pink onesie on the finale is just boring plus her moves were too boring which made her really boring.. i dont know if they were all just tired up.. their lipsynchs in before-finale are more better than the finale
I honestly do not like Kandy. I thought that Denali was FAR superior to her. I hated her lip sync against Rose and Rose should’ve won that round.
I agree. I thought Kandy Muse did a better lip synch than Symone. Symone literally does the same thing on stage all the time regardless of the song he is lip synching to. Kandy gives great energy and is great on stage. I thought Kandy Muse won the first lip synch fairly because his energy was better than Gottmilk. Gottmilk seems too gimicky and there is something that is always very distracting with him…his face is painted a different color than his arms, etc. It does not work for a drag race win because it comes off too gimicky. Anyone can watch an old KIIS performance or Gene Simmons or Marilyn Manson and copy their face makeup. It is not unique but rather gimmicky and not going to seal a win with a judge Rupaul’s age than knows the 3 aformentioned artists and lots of other 80s artists I do not know but that wore the same face paint in rock bands.
Kandy didn’t sync with got-mik… it was Rose….
Im glad the right Queen have won🥳🥳🥳…. They were all deserving and i almost thought it would be a double win😅.. but i think symone have shown the right attitude and she has been starting to be a model just as she did to utica when she passed her positive n strong vibe to utica same as she did to gottmik.. shes truly very inspiring and those stories and tears of her were deep and real , godbless her 💜💚💙💛❤️🧡 shes a real person, real beauty & real queen❌⭕❌⭕
I hated that Rose and Kandy lipsync! UGH! I did not think that GottMik was better than Symone. The only thing that she did was the splits. However, I would’ve liked to see GottMik vs Symone in the final. Kandy is just icky to me and Rose should’ve won that lip synch!
A big fan of Ru and Drag Race, in general, but (had to be a but coming) this finale was a disappointment. Of course, we all have personal preferences, but Kandy’s progress through the competition robbed some of the pleasure in watching. So much talent on display, but Kandy’s shallow, selfish, and egotistical behaviour plus her predictable approach to drag made it hard to watch. Her ‘vulnerability’ was scarcely to be seen, unless uncovered by her attacking others and her vacant answer to the question why she wanted to buy a boat if she won, captured her lack of substance to a tee. Of course, I don’t wish her badly, but she needs to self reflect, have more humility and show grace and kindness to others. Some terrific artists were lost on the way to the final while Kandy laboured on.
Gott grew on me all season – a super person and star. Rose uber talented. Symone, lovely and talented – thought not, I thought, in the same league as Gott and Rose. But I’d have been happier without the disappointing unravelling of this season’s finale.
Totally agree. Kandy Muse and this weird dragging her throughout the season took away all the pleasure of watching the race. It’s only my opinion, but it enraged me on so many levels! I know it’s tv show, and it has to have some plot twist or scenario. But keeping her in the show just made me think of the fairness of choosing who’s gonna stay. When other queens deserved much more, performed much better, had MUCH better gowns, she stays there either safe (come on! That acting challenge with Symone!? Hello?! She literally vanished compared to Symone! Other queens got Sasha away for been outshined by others!) or shante you stay for poor lipsing! Idk what made them to keep her, but not a good choice
Same. I felt that both sets of lip syncing seemed fake. Fake in a way that they already knew who was gonna win each one. Did it seem like that to anyone else?
Kandy should have been gone mid season, absolutely a joke she made it to the finale and knocked anyone out. This show is so rigged sometimes that it ruins the fun. Kandy had terrible outfits all season, played a one note character in every challenge and couldn’t dance at all. Ridiculous.
So who do u think deserved the crown?
deserved it. The iconic fashion, the first transgender queen, the impeccibile fashion choices and makeup… I could go on and on about how the level that Gotmik brings it to is sky high w. . Gotmik is just so talented this QUEEN sUPeRSTAr blew me the fu#k away!
Reply
Gottmik is only “sUPeRSTAr” to someone unfamiliar with the style of common 80s rock bands like KISS, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, etc. To you everything about him is unique and you are blown away. However, just because you type in caps “sUPeRSTAr” does not make your subjective opinion a fact! And just because you falsely think he was the “first transgender queen” on the show does not make that a fact because I recall Gia, Carmen, Peppermint, Kylie Sonique, etc and more were both contestants on the show and transgender. Peppermint. Peppermint was the very first contestant to begin the show as an openly transgender and spoke openly about her journey on camera and came in 2nd place season 9.
They or them. Gotmik does not use he or him. Get it right.
GotMik had some good fashion luxe but the face make up is very 80s rock band and her entire personality was a tired Paris Hilton parity saying gorge 15,000 times does not make you unique it makes you OneNote and annoying
Fashion ok but I got tired of that voice and that fake laugh and that panted face.some of the nakedness saw that before she did nothing new.
RPDR is not a fashion show henny… Ru is looking for a star not a fashion model… So there u go… The only star , just based on the wins baby🤣 its Symone-yeyy! A real role model.. not just a fashion model… Ooopss she got both of em…. Ahhhh huhhhh…!🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳😩
How can it be rigged when its one person picking who wins?
I don’t think one person is picking. I believe the producers do the picking. I also believe Kandy was kept in for ratings, as ratings are slipping and a car wreck keeps people’s attention. Rose is professional, Gottmik is extremely talented. Symone is good, but not great, IMO. Kandy is…..a car wreck. Glad she didn’t win.
Exactly. Kandy should have been gone long ago.
I totally agree this was the worse season Kandy was a joke how did she ever make it as runnerup I honestly think this show was rigged Kandy should be gone first lip sing she did even the outfits she wore were bad have you heard the saying I like to sell them for what they think they’re worth I would be a millionaire
I totally agree. Sure she made for good TV like Vanjie does but her drag is not on the same level as the other queens in the final 4. I hate that she was the runner-up. I knew Symone would win and I’m totally cool with that, I just don’t see what Ru sees in Kandy.
Kandy had some of the worst runways ever. So lame week after week. I’m with you–she should’ve been out weeks and weeks ago.
I agree. I have never seen a TOp 4 contestant with worse outfits and ill-fitting than Kandy.
You took the words out of my mouth. Drama trumps talent anymore on DR. Kandy sucked (and not in a good way) all season. This show is so rigged it’s no longer inspiring or fun. It’s a popularity contest now, not a competition.
Amen to this entire assessment.
Ru took Kandy under her wing and carried her to second place. Denali shouldn’t have left.
I thought the show looked rigged too. No one even looked surprised or upset when Rupaul announced the winner.
Ur absolutely right, Kandy was a hot mess all season. Her pockets mess, I mean dress should of been absolutely the last straw to send her home. I found her vulgar, annoying and super ungracious. Good peeps went home to save her butt.
Was Brittany a sponsor?
My heart sunk when after Kandy the wheel landed on Rose because my top two were Gottmik and Symone. So really after that happened it was Symone or we riot because agree Kandy making it this far after some of the runways and overall performance, not into it. Congrats Symone and Gottmik really impressed and hopefully will see on an All Star season. Which now I gotta get freakin’ Paramount+ for.
This was clearly rigged. I even think Rose and Gotmik intentionally underperformed so Ru’s choices would advance. I stopped watching after an hour. Won’t be watching again. The show has lost its sincerity. Not fun anymore.
So true. I’m with you on this totally.
OMG stop seeing a conspiracy theory in everything. You’re almost as deliberately overly dramatic as Kandy.
That’s excately what I thought an after all these years watching Rpdr.im done..
I think Gotmik should have moved forward to the final 2. She moved and danced more. She was on point the whole song.
This would have been a different ballgame if Rose didn’t have a bad ankle.
Once again, this show demonstrated how weak this season was, very disappointing. The lip sync “battles” were lackluster. Kandy again showed that she & Ru must have made some crazy deal, as she was horrible, yet made it to the top two!
Then again, after the embarrassing performance Ru gave in the opening, maybe no weight should be given to the decision she makes! Also, the underwhelming “look” to host the show was just boring. While she doesn’t need to out glam the contestants, she should at least elevate the look.
Good point. Ru is not particularly talented as demonstrated by her “performance”. Rupauls abilities are extremely overrated and have been for years. Her taste level as well as her picker is busted.
Sorry Rose, I guess Ru wouldn’t allow a white girl in the top two. No shade to Symone, who has been very strong all season. However, Kandy, all I can say is “fixed”. She never should have been in the top 4; it was a JOKE to allow her in the top 2!
Happy for Symone. Rose & Mik should be disgusted, they were BOTH better than Kandy! Shame on Ru Paul for playing games all season and saving Kandy. She certainly is not at the level of the others. The continual rewarding of her is a shame, as it takes away from what was a good show with talent people.
100% agree. This just might be my last US DR I will ever watch.
RuPaul has favored kandy and gotmik all year. They both should have been gone by mid season. Kandy was nothing but a bully, and we didn’t need a paris hilton impersonator. Yuck. Symone so. Because her backstory and believability, along with talent. She had real pressence in the too. From day 1. She is elegant, (even hotter as a man too) and earned her crown. We need a positive black role model for the gay community after this past year. She makes you feel good, which is what a good drag queen needs to do. With Jada Essence Hall and now Symone, the gay black community can smile and all of us be proud of them as entertainers, and as good people in real life.
Preach that was on point. Love it the true winner got her crown..
Happy for LaLa, she always made me smile. Symone was a fine winner. Can we now forget Kandy forever – crazy she was even in the top 4. Having her top 2 – WHAT???!!! I’m guessing Ru Paul was still out of breath from that foolish opening routine and just randomly picked her over Rose who had a MUCH stronger season!
The most shocking part of this episode is that Gotmik wasn’t in the Top2. I am happy Symone won, well deserved, but really it wasn’t shocking or surprising at all when it was her and Kandy left to battle it out. However I guess this proves the show is not rigged because if it was then the lip synch pairings would have been different so Gotmik and Symone would have been Top2.
Hate, hate, hated Kandy Muse’s continual rise all the way up to Top 4!! All I can think is that RuPaul was trying to show fans that loud, fat and badly dressed can make it up the ranks. Love that Symone won, can see Gottmik killing the upcoming All Star season!!
As much as I would’ve liked to see Rose win this thing, Ru wasn’t going to choose Rose after having chosen a Scottish Queen as the winner of UK Drag Race. And it’s also likely Rose’s ankle injury had something to do with the early elimination. It wouldn’t have been good to see her further injure herself in another lip sync. Otherwise, had she gone ahead, yeah Rose would win.
Gottmik’s runway looks were gorge all season and didn’t disappoint in the finale. Her story is inspiring, even if she didn’t win, she slayed! I’m not the biggest Paris Hilton fan, but her impersonation was great. Especially the deep voice to Hilton-voice switch when they ‘started filming’.
Symone as the winner is great. Her looks, performance in challenges were great throughout the season. Using her outfits to send messages and drive the point across on issues today is genius. The looks will stay memorable for years to come. Bravo, queen!
Kandy…. I don’t get it. What am I missing? She’s not a bad lip syncer. Her runway looks were…questionable at best, the judges read other girls for better outfits than Kandy’s ‘pockets’, ‘alien’ runway and even her finale looks. The fact that her ‘nickname’ is the Producer, I can see why. Maybe she’s getting a cut off RuPaul’s show somehow. She definitely made the season a bit more exciting by adding ‘drama’ to it.
I agree with you. I really liked the other queens (Gottmik, SYmone and Rose) But Kandy turned me off the entire season. Denali was FAR more talented and gorgeous and worthy. I almost stopped watching when Kandy was announced as Top 4. There is something about her that reminds me of Silky Genache. Can’t stand her! I did not see ANY talent in Kandy at all plus, she’s nothing but a bully
Okay, there is no way, in any universe, that Kandy Muse outperformed Gottmik and Rosé in this competition. And yet here we are, she, a final 2. Kahmora Hall and Utica have had immaculate looks throughout the competition and since their elimination (go to their instagrams) and even those looks don’t compare to anything Kandy Muse showed throughout the entire season (and Kahmora was the first eliminated!). The manipulation of production – to force us to like Kandy – didn’t work. They put their bets on the wrong Queen. And weakened the credibility of this show. Thank goodness Symone won!
This show is a joke, especially if Ru really thought Kandy should be top 2! Symone did a solid job all season, as did Rose and Gottmik (however, her Hilton impersonation seemed to carry over to most of her other performances; but the looks were creative).
The final episode was really lackluster, especially the bad performance by Ru at the start of the show. I don’t care how many cute dancers they try to hide her with, she just didn’t sell the song. I’d have her sashay away!
It appears the contest between Mik and Symone was the the real final since Kandy was now number 2 and there was NO way she was going to actually get the crown. Shoulda been officially Sy and Mic and Rose or Mic then Sy.
Gottasay I was wrong for the first time, usually I can tell the winter from the very first look, my top vote was Rose, my 100% guesswerk has been defeated OTL Symone never registered in my radar as a potential winner, congrats to her win however.
I think Rush is a bit racist but that’s my opinion I really thought that Rose should have won my second would have been gottmlk.. the other two shouldn’t even have been in the running
That’s suppose to say ..i think RuPaul is racist…kinda ruined the show for me from here on out… I thought it was supposed to be the prettiest the most talented and the ones that knew what they were doing that was supposed to win. I don’t know what Kandy was even there for
From day one when the queens entered the drag race I fell in love with Symone and its been a lovely journey seeing her blossom and reach the finals. For me she has been the one for the crown ever since and I’m sure the judges saw what I saw in her took!!!! Congrats Symone the Ebony Goddess you deserved the crown! As for the other three girls thumbs up for you queens you made the race more challenging and enjoyable! You are all winners congrats Kandy, Rose and Gottmik you are stars!!!!!
So sad and disappointed for Rose.
Rose was the most talented.
Rose’s ankle injury impacted her dance.
I totally agree. I was hoping Rose would turn on the acrobatics but the ankle issue was obvious. I’m hoping to see her slay in allstars.
I’m rlly happy with the results. I wanted symone to win and I think she did fair and square. I did kinda want Olivia to win miss congeniality but I’m still really happy La La Ri won she was super charismatic and funny and she rlly deserved it.
I think it’s twisted that so much weight is given to a final lip synch and not to their performance throughout the season. Because Kandy “beat” Rosé, she is automatically better than Gott Mik and gets second place? I don’t think so…
Simone, Gotmik and Rose deserved to be in the top. It is shameful how Mandy Muse got dragged along week after week. Drag Race lost all integrity for that bs.
Was the most fixed and predictable series ever produced. Kandy Muse should never have gotten close to top 10 let alone top 4. Rigged for drama.
Winner was very predictable and spotted early in the series.
I know they had to do the virtual stuff because of the virus but I really miss the extravagant nature of the previous finales! I can’t wait until this is all over and we can once again rejoice in the name of Rupaul Charles.
I honestly was completely unimpressed by rose~ and Kandys lip-synch but I still can’t believe that Kandy won If Simone hadn’t won the final lip-synch I would’ve been done with drag race and no shade but honestly I can’t even recall LaLa Ri Who won miss congeniality
I also didn’t care for RuPaul’s new song or opening performance