Who went home on RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 episode 12? Details explored

In RuPaul's Drag Race season 17, episode 12, Lana Ja'Rae was eliminated from the competition. The episode which aired on March 21, 2025, titled Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent Monologues, required the queens to deliver personal stories in a monologue format while their assigned partners expressed the narrative through interpretive dance.

Following critiques from the judges and a runway challenge under the Ugliest Dress Ever theme, Lana and Sam Star landed in the bottom two. They competed in a lip sync battle to Dua Lipa’s Illusion, but RuPaul ultimately chose to eliminate Lana, ending her journey in season 17.

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Lana Ja'Rae's elimination from RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 episode 12

Recap of the episode

RuPaul had the queens pair up based on their connections. The final duos were Sam Star with Lana Ja’Rae, Lexi Love with Onya Nurve, and Suzie Toot with Jewels Sparkles.

In the mini-challenge, a Mad Libs-style competition, Jewels and Suzie won with a comedic story about "Suzanne Boots."

For the maxi challenge, each queen received a random monologue theme, including supernatural experiences, karma, and obsession. While they performed spoken-word pieces, their partners conveyed the story through interpretive dance. Some pairs nailed the challenge, while others struggled.

Rehearsals revealed creative differences. Sam and Lana had conflicting ideas on Lana’s "being lost" theme, while Onya worked to understand Lexi’s story about a social media interaction. Suzie and Jewels also found it challenging to balance dramatic elements with humor.

The queens presented their Ugliest Dress Ever runway looks, with critiques focusing on both fashion and performance. Ts Madison noted Suzie's monologue was effective but lacked facial expression. Michelle and Ru said Jewels' dance stood out but needed a "more drag aesthetic" in her storytelling.

Jerrod praised Onya’s charisma, and Michelle called Lexi’s dance the "best part of the whole night." RuPaul said Sam’s performance "lacked comedic lunacy," while Michelle felt Lana’s monologue lacked a strong "connection to the words."

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How was Lana eliminated?

After deliberation, RuPaul and the judges declared Onya and Lexi as the winners for their ability to integrate storytelling, performance, and runway presentation effectively. Suzie and Jewels were deemed safe, leaving Sam and Lana as the bottom two contestants on RuPaul's Drag Race.

To determine who would stay in the competition, the two performed a lip sync battle to Dua Lipa’s Illusion. Both queens incorporated dramatic costume reveals and executed high-energy choreography in an attempt to outshine each other. Sam delivered a performance that remained strong throughout, maintaining engagement with the judges and audience.

Lana, who had previously gained recognition as a strong lip sync performer, struggled to match Sam’s energy consistently. Despite executing several dynamic moves, her performance lacked the same level of precision and impact.

As the lip sync concluded, RuPaul made the final decision. While both queens displayed effort, Lana’s performance did not surpass Sam’s, leading to her elimination. RuPaul told her to "sashay away," marking the end of her journey in season 17. Her departure narrowed the competition further as the remaining contestants continued toward the RuPaul's Drag Race finale.

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Tune in to RuPaul's Drag Race Fridays at 8 PM ET/PT on MTV to follow the competition as the queens compete for the crown.