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The third episode of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17, titled Monopulence, aired on January 17, 2025, on MTV. The episode introduced the queens to their first design challenge, where they created Monopoly-inspired outfits using fabrics assigned through a mini-game.
While some queens rose to the occasion, others found themselves struggling under the pressure. At the end of the runway, Lucky and Joella were placed in the bottom two after their designs failed to meet the judges’ expectations. They performed a lip sync to Paula Abdul’s The Way That You Love Me, delivering their own renditions.
Joella’s performance earned her a spot to continue in the competition, while Lucky was sent home. Despite the "Badonka Dunk" twist giving her a slim chance to stay, Lucky’s lever pull failed to save her in this episode of RuPaul's Drag Race.
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The elimination challenge: Lip sync for survival in RuPaul's Drag Race
The runway challenge saw Lucky and Joella in the bottom two after their Monopoly-themed designs were critiqued by the judges. Lucky’s garment lacked refinement, and Michelle Visage pointed out her “hesitation” in delivering a polished look. Joella, despite her confidence, struggled with fabric choice, leading to a design that missed the theme of the challenge.
In the lip sync to Paula Abdul’s The Way That You Love Me, both queens brought their own styles. RuPaul reminded them:
“This is your last chance to impress me and save yourself from elimination.”
Joella delivered her performance, fully embracing the song’s rhythm according to the judges. Lucky, on the other hand, couldn't full connect to the music. When it was time for RuPaul to decide, Joella was told to stay, while Lucky’s journey came to an end.
The "Badonka Dunk" twist gave Lucky a final opportunity to avoid elimination, but her lever pull did not trigger Michelle Visage’s dunking, leading to the first elimination of this season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Reflecting on her exit, Lucky said:
“I’m proud of how far I’ve come and the risks I’ve taken.”
Other episode highlights of RuPaul's Drag Race
This episode of RuPaul's Drag Race highlighted growing tensions in the Werk Room. Lana and Arrietty, who had ranked each other highly in the Rate-a-Queen twist, faced criticism from Onya. She questioned the fairness of their rankings, saying:
“We’re here to compete, not play favorites.”
Meanwhile, Jewels and Onya clashed over design materials, with Jewels accusing Onya of taking a trim she had planned to use. The Monopoly-inspired mini-game assigned fabric colors to the queens, which served as the foundation for their designs. Jewels ended the argument by telling Onya to “have [her] moment,” adding that she didn’t believe Onya would “have too many more.”
During RuPaul’s walkthrough, Lucky admitted that she lacked sewing skills but was eager to prove herself. RuPaul expressed concern over Joella’s fabric choice as it was difficulty to work with.
On the runway, Sam was declared the winner for her well-executed design. Arrietty and Onya also received praises for their looks, while Lucky and Joella’s shortcomings landed them in the bottom two. The episode ended with a preview of next week’s challenge, where the queens will create commercials inspired by iconic Drag Race moments.
New episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race air every Friday at 8 pm ET on MTV.
