After two back-to-back episodes that premiered for Season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, it’s clear the only way to win out in the end is to form an alliance. While no one is getting eliminated this season, the queens do have the power to cut off another queen from winning a Beautiful Benefactress Badge the following week if they win the lip sync. With only eight queens competing, there’s nowhere to hide, so ensuring you have an alliance is the only way to ensure you won’t get cut off by this season’s blocking device, the Ruby Snippers.
At this point, there are four duos that have been established: Roxxxy Andrews and Plastique Tiara, Gottmik and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Jorgeous and Angeria Paris VanMichaels, and, by default, Shannel and Nina West. With outside friendships and established working relationships dominating the Werk Room, this game may come down to who has more friends in the end. Building an alliance with other queens with diverse talents and skills will allow them to have each other’s back when a challenge outside their wheelhouse arrives. Let’s hope these queens took notes from Survivor and brought their rhinestone tank tops for bribery! The queens have spoken.
This isn’t “RuPaul’s Best Friend Race” but the queens this season are playing nice for charity. With no eliminations and a grand prize of a $200,000 donation to the queen’s charity of choice, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 9 may not have the grit other editions of the spin-off may have, but there will certainly be bonds that form and grow throughout the season. With the power put in the hands of the queens, they will have to rely on one another in order to prevail this season. The only way to win is to collect Beautiful Benefactress Badges. And the only way to receive those Beautiful Benefactress Badges is to win a maxi challenge. As long as you’re not cut off first! Keep your friends close, and your rivals even closer!
Friendships Are the Key to Alliances in This ‘All Stars’
Like any reality show that features returning contestants, outside forces affect the action inside the game. RuPaul’s Drag Race is quite unique when it comes to their All Stars seasons, as following their original run, the contestants go out in the wild and fulfill their careers as drag artists, working with one another at various clubs, gigs, tours, and events. Some queens may not meet on our television screens, but through their careers, their drag family grows. Of course, previous bonds from their previous shows may come into play as well. One of the biggest multi-season Drag Race alliances in the history of the show was RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5’s RoLaskaTox, comprised of Roxxxy Andrews, Alaska, and Detox. They were such a dominating force when it came to the art of drag, the trio made it to the final four. But fans love an underdog story, so all three lost as the loveable weirdo Jinkx Monsoon took her first of two crowns.
All three queens were reunited on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2 where they, once again, reached the final four. Thanks to All Stars rules being in effect, their existing alliance allowed Roxxxy to be carried through to the end of the season as she was saved multiple times when she was in the bottom. All it took to establish control of this alliance was a rhinestoned shirt and a $10,000 transfer via PayPal. As the most recognizable alliances in franchise history, RoLaskaTox set the tone for future All Stars seasons. As it just so happens, Roxxxy is back on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, but sans the LaskaTox to her Ro. But she’s found a new colleague to lean on.
Very early on, viewers learned that Roxxxy had formed a real-life bond with Plastique Tiara as they both appeared in RuPaul’s Drag Race: Live in Las Vegas. Upon entering the Werk Room, they buddied up to share the same cubby space and alluded to relying on their strong friendship. And that is what leads to the start of an integral strategy this season. With one pair already formed, the next natural alliance came in the form of the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 sisters Jorgeous and Angeria Paris VanMichaels. While they may not have been super close in their original season, their shared bond and time touring together brought them together as number ones this season. In addition to both winning the first challenge of the season, they shared an immediate target as the first two Beautiful Benefactress Badge holders.
Next up were Gottmik and Vanessa Vanjie. While their outside friendship has not been completely revealed, their bond in the Werk Room brought them together as another pair. Which leaves Nina West and Shannel. As the two oldest queens this season, who also have an old school drag sensibility, they were joined together by default. Now, with each queen having one person who has their back, unless something wild were to happen, the pairs would likely not target each other when deciding who to cut off. Now will these duos expand? That would be a good strategy!
Solidifying a Diverse Alliance Is Crucial This Season
As we’ve established, there are four groups of two in the Werk Room. These pairs are the basis of the projected alliances. With two challenges under their belts, four queens currently have Beautiful Benefactress Badges: Angeria, Gottmik, Jorgeous, and Plastique. Two queens have been cut off already: Roxxxy and Angeria. With a song and dance challenge and the ball already happening, the queens should project the upcoming challenges and who might excel at those challenges.
We know as viewers that the third episode will be Snatch Game. They all know that Nina West is a sensational comedian and actress. She would be someone you want to have on your side should she win the challenge. Gottmik won Snatch Game during her original season, so that’s another queen you might want to have as part of your alliance. Angeria is naturally funny. She’s a good asset to have on your team. But once that challenge is over, let’s say there is a makeover challenge coming up. Having someone like Plastique, Gottmik, or Roxxxy might be your best bet to align with should they win. They might keep you safe. Establishing an alliance with people who have a different skill set is crucial. Sharing the wealth of talent is how to be one of the top three badge holders by the final episode.
This is RuPaul’s Drag Race. There are bound to be twists and turns when you least expect it. During the all-winners season, there were moments in the season where Ru threw a curveball and revealed that during certain challenges, the winner would receive a second star that they were tasked to give to someone of their choosing. When it comes to alliances, it would make sense to give your charity badge to your nearest and dearest. But depending on the scoreboard closer to the end, it might be more beneficial to give the extra badge to the lowest-placing queen to ensure no one can overtake you. This is how integral every single decision made this season can be.
On RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7, Monet X Change brought her Survivor knowledge and game prowess to ensure there was an alliance that kept her safe, allowing her to get to the final lip sync. If this cast is smart, they’ll follow along in her footsteps and insulate themselves to keep their game afloat. With only eight queens in the Werk Room this season, there are very few places to hide. But if these queens have done their homework, they will adapt to this version of the game that can help catapult them to the end and earn $200,000 for their charity. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9 is giving top-tier drag. The art is arting. Hopefully, the game within the game will be engaging enough to carry the season to the end. Bring on the drama!
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars streams every Friday on Paramount+. All seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars are available to stream on Paramount+.
