Who Will Win 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17? Ranking the Queens After the Premiere

RuPaul's Drag Race is back and that means that in a few short month we'll know America's Next Drag Superstar v.17. Last week on Part 1 of the Season 17 premiere, the seven of the 14 new contestants performed in a talent show, with the remaining seven attempting to wow us this week. All 14 drag queens have now also walked two runways and have participated in Werk Room banter. So while we still have months before the finale, we've got a lot of information already as pertains to the 14 new queens.

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Which brings us to the question: Who will win Season 17 of RuPaul's Drag Race?

To that end, I've put together a ranking of the full cast of drag queens competing on this season, ordered from least likely to most likely to be crowned America's Next Drag Superstar. It's a power ranking if you will, and while there are supposed spoilers on dark corners of the internet, I haven't read any of them. And to clarify, this ranking relates specifically to their chances at winning Season 17 and not just making it far.

Check back every week throughout the season for updated rankings as the queens are eliminated. But without further ado, here's our first ranking of the season.

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17 Episodes 1 & 2 power rankings:

14. Hormona Lisa

Track Record: Eliminated/Saved

RuPaul may have asked Hormona Lisa to compete on Season 17, but it seems likely she might also soon be asking Hormona to leave. Standup comedy is a brutal talent show pick, so hopefully Hormona will be able to bounce back, but a weak lip sync performance against Acacia Forgot also doesn't bode well for our Tennessee girl. I do not think Hormona will be here by the time we get to Snatch Game.

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13. Acacia Forgot

Track Record: Bottom

Acacia Forgot really didn't deserve to be in the Bottom last week, but was hampered by Arrietty's alliance with Lana Ja'Rae and the Rate-A-Queen twist. That said, I'm not sure a country star schtick is a winning recipe for Drag Race. I could see her sticking around a few more weeks, but she doesn't seem funny enough to tackle the comedy challenges AND I don't think we'll be getting a Dolly Parton runway again anytime soon.

12. Joella

Track Record: Safe

Based on Joella's entrance look and her being from LA, I thought she was going to be a bigger threat than she's presented herself to be so far. Even Katy Perry was dragging her talent show performance and the Marie Antoinette runway this week sure didn't help her case. Hopefully, a comedy challenge will get her back on track.

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11. Lana Ja'Rae

Track Record: Safe

If we're comparing NYC fashion girls, I worry that Lana Ja'Rae might be more of a Xunami Muse than a Luxx Noir London. While Lana will certainly be delivering stunning runways all season long, her drag mother Luxx made it to the end on her deliciously delusional and catty personality. Lana feels like someone who could be safe for several weeks before exiting on a comedy challenge BUT I'm happy to be proven wrong.

10. Arrietty

Track Record: Safe

The entrance of Arrietty spelled Dawn 2.0 to me, and we will certainly be seeing some of the season's best runway looks from the Seattle queen. That said, her talent show dance was booooooooring, and I worry that is a harbinger of a lack of taste to come. She does seem like someone who will bring some drama, however, so that could keep her around a bit.

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9. Onya Nurve

Track Record: Safe

Onya Nurve certainly has the personality. What I think both her beauty shop mask runway and her peach dress this week demonstrated, however, is a lack of aesthetics. She will certainly do well as a performer, but I'm concerned that she's going to constantly be dinged for bad looks and get clipped on a design challenge.

8. Lucky Starzzz

Track Record: Safe

Lucky Starzzz is an interesting case because we haven't had a queen quite this craft and conceptual in a LONG TIME. Her runways are STUNNING, and she is doing something completely and totally unique. While this could lead her down an Alaska/Sharon Needles-type avenue to winning, I fear there's a lack of spark here that I can't quite put my finger on. I really do love everything she's worn so far though, so I am rooting for her to surprise me.

7. Crystal Envy

Track Record: Top

Every season has got to have a poised pageant queen, and Crystal Envy is this season's iteration. While she was in the top two this week, and should arguably a bit higher up this list, I am wary because RuPaul doesn't tend to go for this type of queen when picking a winner. Even when he picks a pageant queen, he tends to like someone with a bit more grit. The overly polished performers tend to get clipped in the back half of the season for not having enough vulnerability. That said, Crystal will likely be here until the end game and could easily make the finale.

6. Kori King

Track Record: Safe

Kori King is no Plane Jane (as no one ever could be). That being said, she's got gallons and gallons of charisma. Kori is a great TV character and is sure to provide plenty of fun moments this season. While her aesthetic is a bit basic, she is casting gold and I imagine will be around for a while.

5. Lydia B. Kollins

Track Record: Safe

Why is Lydia, who underwhelmed at the talent show, so high on this list? Because RuPaul loves her. It's SO OBVIOUS when Ru likes a queen, and Ru is obsessed with Lydia Butthole Kollins. Ru's admiration will cover a multitude of sins and the fact that she has such a specific aesthetic and is likely to do well in both the comedy and design challenges is a plus. I think some of the performing challenges will be her ultimate downfall, but Ru's not parting with her anytime soon.

4. Suzie Toot

Track Record: Win

Suzie is perhaps the inverse of Lydia. While she won the first episode, she's got that *insert Jewels Sparkles gif here* BROOOOOOOAAAAADDDDWWWAAAAYYYY energy, which RuPaul notoriously does not like. While Suzie seems a bit less of a perfectionist than the likes of Jan, Marcia Marcia Marcia, Plasma and Rosé, I think its highly unlikely Ru will be crowning her. But we've got to get a Broadway winner eventually so maybe the name on everyone's lips will actually be Suzie.

3. Sam Star

Track Record: Safe

Another thing that RuPaul loves is a discovery. And Sam Star's hailing from Alabama feels like just the narrative that RuPaul will glom onto. I could easily see Sam taking home the crown. She's got charisma and verve and seems well-trained from the pageant circuit. She could be the perfect mix of Heidi N Closet and Brooke Lynn Hytes.

2. Jewels Sparkles

Track Record: Top

I must say that I adore Jewels Sparkles. I love her brand of comedy and her cutesy Priscilla Presley aesthetic are things we haven't got in a winner before. She proved she can perform and has a sense of humor in her talent show and her runways have been fashionable as well as well branded. She's young, but that hasn't stopped RuPaul before. Jewels is a massive threat for the crown.

1. Lexi Love

Track Record: Win

The dark horse coming into this season and already a fan favorite, Lexi Love is primed to take home the Season 17 crown. She's got more grit and personality than the rest of the cast combined and proved in both her roller skating number and lip sync that she's a performer. While I do worry that her taste level may be a bit lacking, that's something you can always improve on. You can't dream up a great personality and Lexi certainly has one of those. She's a little bit Sasha Colby, a little bit Yvie Oddly, with some Mirage tossed in. 10/10 no notes.

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