RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17: Who was eliminated in Episode 13?

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Episode 13 finished without an elimination, keeping all five surviving queens in the race in a surprise turn of events that left fans giddy.

The popular makeover task, in which the competitors turned their parents into drag performers, was featured in this episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Sam Star, Suzie Toot, Onya Nurve, Jewels Sparkles, and Lexi Love welcomed their family members into the Werk Room for emotional reunions before getting to work on their transformations.

After runway presentations showcasing family resemblance, Jewels and Onya landed in the bottom two and delivered a fierce lip sync battle to Amerie's "1 Thing." RuPaul announced a double save that keeps the top five in place going into next week because the performance was so amazing that she couldn't bring herself to send either queen home.

Each queen is battling harder than ever for a chance to win the crown as the competition heats up and the $200,000 ultimate prize approaches.

What happened during this episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race?

In a rare late-season twist, RuPaul chose not to eliminate any contestants after the makeover challenge. Despite Jewels Sparkles and Onya Nurve landing in the bottom two, their lip sync performance to "1 Thing" by Amerie proved too close to call, resulting in a "double shantay."

"This decision keeps the competitive field at five queens, a surprising move so close to the finale. This twist implies that the competition among the surviving candidates is still very intense, even though non-elimination episodes usually take place earlier in the season."

"After a long string of eliminations, RuPaul took another week off," noted the judges, who seemed genuinely impressed by both bottom queens' performances.

RuPaul's decision-making was obviously affected by the emotional stakes, as parents anxiously watched from backstage.

The makeover competition, in which queens turn loved ones into members of their drag family, was the focus of the episode and has since become a RuPaul’s Drag Race tradition.

This season brought an extra emotional layer as parents entered the Werk Room.

For Lexi Love, a transgender contestant, the reunion with her mother Tammy, became a profoundly touching moment.

"My mom using the correct pronouns—this is something that has never happened," Lexi revealed in a confessional.

Onya Nurve's reunion with her father, Andre, proved equally moving.

"You're so crazy for doing this!" Onya exclaimed as her father entered.

She later shared that her father had missed key moments in her life due to incarceration:

"While he has been a part of my life wholeheartedly recently, he has also missed very monumental moments in my life. So, for him to be here means the world to me."

Despite the non-elimination, the episode still crowned a winner. Sam Star and her mother (transformed into "Sassy Star") impressed the judges with their gold-and-denim cowgirl ensembles inspired by Dolly Parton.

The victory earned Sam a $5,000 cash tip along with $2,500 for her mother, Leslie, cementing her position as a serious contender with three challenge wins this season. Only Onya Nurve has claimed more victories, with four wins under her belt.

"With Arrietty's absence, there really has been a dearth of fashion on the Main Stage, and Sam pounced on the lack of competition to earn yet another win," observed fashion designer Law Roach, who joined the judging panel alongside regular judges RuPaul and Michelle Visage, plus special guest June Diane Raphael.

What’s next for the five queens?

With all five queens moving forward, the competition statistics offer insight into potential frontrunners. Onya Nurve leads with four wins and only one bottom-two placement. Sam Star follows closely with three wins, including this week's challenge. Suzie Toot and Lexi Love are tied with two wins each, while Jewels Sparkles has secured one victory.

These numbers suggest a potential final four of Onya, Sam, Suzie, and Lexi, but RuPaul’s Drag Race has always been unpredictable, especially with this late-season non-elimination shaking up the expected pattern.

"At this point in the competition, it's anyone's game," noted the judges, acknowledging the high level of talent remaining.

As RuPaul’s Drag Race inches closer to the finale, the pressure continues to build. The non-elimination means a definite cut next week, as the show must eventually narrow to its final competitors.

With the $200,000 grand prize looking increasingly attainable for all five queens, next week promises heightened drama and intensity. Each contestant has demonstrated unique strengths, whether in comedy, fashion, performance, or personality, making the path to the crown still very much open.

"Next week, one of these top five queens will have to leave for good," the judges emphasized, setting the stage for what will likely be one of the season's most difficult eliminations yet.

As RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 approaches its conclusion, fans can expect more surprises, emotional moments, and fierce competition from this exceptionally talented group of finalists.

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Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race on MTV on Fridays at 8/7c and stream the next day on Paramount+.