'Drag Race' Is Shangela's To Lose

Every episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars has been building to this moment. There’s a new queen ascending the throne to declare to the rest to sashay away. Does Shangela win Drag Race All Stars 3? Her chances have never looked better and the other queens need to watch out.

Through the first five episodes of the competition, there was a clear favorite to win All Stars Season 3. Indisputably, that queen was BenDeLaCreme. She had done spectacularly, winning five challenges and three lip-sync battles. She’d earned tens of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes and it would be hard to see anyone in a position to overtake her. However, when at the end of Episode 6 she decided to send herself home, that opened the door for someone different to grab the top spot and a shot at winning this season of Drag Race.

All along Shangela has seemed to be nipping at BenDeLaCreme’s heels. Early on, the two established themselves as the queens to beat. Now, with DeLa gone, Shangela has stepped it up. She’s won three challenges and three lip-sync battles, which is more than anyone left standing in the competition. She has amassed $25,000 in cash, as well as thousands more in prizes. More than anyone, she has a legitimate shot to earn the title, crown and of course, the $100,000 prize at the end.

It is not just her skill in the challenges and lip-sync battles that have made Shangela such a contender to win the show, though. Something else that she’s been working on for weeks is her relationships with the other queens. Throughout the competition she has referred to herself as the iconic Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. That character is known for her ability to make allies and that is just what Shangela has done. In fact, her relationships saved Shangela from going home in Episode 6.

Arguably, the most important evidence there is that Shangela can win is whether she, personally believes that she can. The power of positive thinking is a strong force, after all. For Shangela, that has never been an issue. Recently, she spoke to Bustle and revealed a new confidence that hadn’t been there in earlier seasons. “I feel so comfortable in my Shangela skin at this point. Season 2 and 3 I was still figuring things out. I was honored to be there, but I felt like I was playing catch up a lot of times,” she says. “Now, I feel like I’m going in there, like, ‘Bring the challenges.’ At least my foundation is strong.”

She is not alone in thinking about her new attitude and success, either. While many of the queens who were eliminated didn’t reveal who they thought could win, or who they wanted to win, Thorgy Thor shared a favorite. She was staunchly in favor of Shangela taking the crown, largely because of her attitude, which she said in an interview with Bustle. With near levels of self-confidence and the support of her other queens, it is no surprise she continues to succeed through the competition.

Being the new favorite does not mean that the path to the throne is clear, though, as there are many queens left who are vying for the crown. And, each of the other queens pose a threat to Shangela’s chances. BeBe has won Drag Race before and in recent weeks, has appeared like she has the skills to do it, again. Trixie while starting off slow, has really found her stride in recent weeks to become a top contender. Finally, there is Kennedy who remains a valid contender. While she has been at the bottom more than anyone, she shows flashes of brilliance and could still turn things around to win out.

Drag Race All Stars is rapidly coming to a close and it is clear that anyone left in the competition has a true shot of snatching the crown. However, if I were a gambler, it’d be hard not to put all my chips on Shangela. She has had more wins than anyone, allies who truly seem to have her back and a plan in place to become the last queen standing. With all that in mind, in all likelihood, this remains the Shangela show and only a matter of time before she is sporting a new, sparkly headpiece.