Previously on Drag Race: The queens gave the crew members makeovers and turned them into gorgeous queens… and one sad bunny. Alexis Michelle‘s runway look was called basic for the 40th time this season. And Shea Couleé fell into the bottom two for the first time – but Nina Bo’nina Brown was the one to go.

Back in the werk room, Trinity Taylor rejoices at the fact that Nina and her negativity are gone. And she won the challenge, so this is a real good day for Trinity. She throws some pretty serious shade at Shea Couleé for having had to lip-sync.

The next morning, the queens are getting ready for the next challenge and Trinity, in a confessional, starts saying something about being ready to slay when a little bug flies into her face and she totally freaks.

RuPaul comes in to introduce this week’s mini-challenge: puppets! The queens are each given one puppet of their competitor in boy form and need to drag it up, then imitate the queen in a little show. Peppermint gets Alexis Michelle’s puppet and starts getting it ready – and Trinity says “make sure you make it basic.”

Sasha Velour gets Trinity’s puppet and does an incredible job with the country accent and the comedy. While she’s making fun of Trinity’s dickpiggery, she also throws in a couple of brutal jokes at Nina’s expense.

Halfway through her show, Peppermint spray-paints her Alexis Michelle puppet green.

Ru decides to join in on the fun and misquotes Alyssa Edwards: “Why you fuckin’ look so green girl?!”

Sasha Velour wins the mini-challenge!

This week’s main challenge is the gayest ball of them all! Categories are “Rainbow-She-Betta-Do,” “Sexy Unicorn,” and “Village People Eleganza Extravaganza!” Each queen gets to pick one Village Person (is that the proper singular for Village People?) and design an outfit with the materials.

Trinity Taylor picks the cop, grabs the baton, and spanks Shea Couleé’s butt with it – Shea makes a police brutality joke, which is half-funny and half-cringey.

As Peppermint is starting to hesitantly create an outfit with her leather guy materials, Trinity once again gives some incredible shade in the confessionals. “Peppermint has a great personality.”

And speaking of great shade, Shea comments on Alexis Michelle’s sense of style saying “I feel like I could go to New York and throw a stone and hit five other queens that can do exactly what she does.”

Ru comes back into the room to speak to his queens. He visits Alexis, who tells him she picked the Native American based on this “bowl of these beautiful turcoaahze embellishments” that really spoke to her.

After making the rounds, Ru announces to the queens that there’s a little extra twist. The girls need to start with a dance number that pays homage to rhythmic gymnastics – and Sasha’s in charge of the choreography. Ru feels the need to give the ladies a little demonstration, though, with a series of dance moves that end with this one:

The ladies get to rehearsing their number and it’s a mess. Ribbons are getting all tied up together, Trinity somehow smacks herself in the face with her own ribbon…

Sasha attempts to implement some dance moves, but Alexis and Shea keep tossing in their own ideas and Sasha is not having it. Trinity is losing her patience and implies she would’ve already slapped some bitches if she were in Sasha’s place.

Back in the werk room, Shea the construction worker Village Person (I’m going to stick with that) is working on a flannel patchwork skirt-type thing.

“So you’re making a costume for Adore Delano?” Trinity quips.

Once she’s done gagging, Shea retorts with some more excellent shade. “But she was top 3, unlike you.”

Sasha starts to talk about how fun the ribbons are to watch, to which Alexis responds “If you’re a kiddie.”

Alexis follows up by saying she honestly felt Sasha’s lack of dancing experience led to her being insecure in the rehearsal. Sasha replies that it wasn’t about insecurity, it was about not being listened to. “It’s clear that my strategy did not work for you, Miss Alexis.”

Alexis accuses Sasha of trusting Shea more than anyone else, to which Sasha suddenly states Ms. Couleé was actually frequently talking over her as well and it was frustrating as hell.

Somehow, we get to the main stage portion of the episode without a single sob story during makeup application.

As she’s introducing guest judges Joan Smalls and Andie McDowell, Ru does a surprise Lady Bunny impression.

First up, the rhythmic gymnastics performance. It’s colorful, fun, and sassy. There’s body rolls and twirls and all that good gay stuff.

First category: Rainbow-She-Betta-Do. Show me that pride, girls!

Shea Couleé isn’t quite serving rainbow realness, but she does look undeniably gorgeous. The purple ombre hair is definitely a highlight. (Get it?)

Sasha starts out with a lovely plumed hat, which she then takes off to reveal a house.

A HOUSE.

ON HER HEAD.

Alexis Michelle’s look is a little simpler, but it’s cute, bright, and very ’50s pinup with a touch of ’70s slut. I love the eye makeup she’s got going on.

Trinity’s rainbow look is subtle, relying on the colors mostly as accessories to an overall look, but I love it. It’s fierce and badass and totally BDSM chic.

Peppermint literally looks ready to hop on a pride float, and she looks good. It’s not incredibly groundbreaking and the boots don’t match the rest of the outfit, but the wig is beautiful and the sash is fab.

Next up: Sexy Unicorn!

Shea is giving you dark, dramatic, brooding creature. Her makeup is pretty serious. The bodice is nothing spectacular but the look works. Also, she introduces herself as “Neigh Couleé,” so… ’nuff said.

Sasha says she’s serving “medieval tapestry” realness, and I see it for sure. The tip of her horn is bloody and matches her lipstick, and the whole garment is just flowy and fantastic.

Alexis’s look is… I’m gonna say it – a little basic. I like the sparkly, shimmery nature, but it’s really just a bodysuit, and not a very flattering one at that. Props on the glittery lipstick, though. Also, those hoofs are so big. So, so big.

Trinity’s giving us cute, girly, adorbs pony realness. I don’t hate it. The colors work for her. It’s sexy but also really sweet.

Peppermint’s outfit is conceptual. She calls it a “space unicorn,” but it kinda looks like some kind of sea anemone/jellyfish crossbreed to me. It’d be better if the clothing didn’t make her look so chubby, though.

Now, ladies, it’s time for Village People Eleganza Extravaganza!

Shea’s up first, and that cape! Or, I guess it’s technically a shirt. Skirt? Whatever it is, I love it. Plus her construction cap is bedazzled and her lips match it. So, so beautiful. Also, she cut up the flannel shirt she was wearing as a boy earlier, kept just the placket (I totally didn’t look up what the part with the buttons is called) and the collar, and wrapped the rest around her head! Genius.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Sasha’s cowboy look. She distanced herself a teeny bit too much from the theme, and now it just looks like a Midwest fashion magazine outfit. But a fabulous one nonetheless.

Hrmm. While I love that Alexis has a literal bow in her hair, the rest of her look is just very pedestrian. There’s just not a whole lot of the Native American theme present here anymore. Plus her wig is super lame. Sorry, girl.

Trinity’s cop couture is fierce, seductive, avant-garde, and well-executed – and it doesn’t neglect to show off her body-ody-ody. Toot!

Peppermint is giving us Freddie Mercury meets bondage queen, and she’s got all the accessories to go with it. It’s a lot of black and I would’ve chosen a different hair color, but it’s fierce anyway.

And that’s all the looks! Phew. The judges critique the queens, praising everything Sasha did and loving Shea despite a couple missteps. Alexis defends her Native American look by saying she “nearly went blind stoning this thing” but Michelle Visage has no fucks to give.

Ru asks the “who deserves to go home tonight and why” question. Shea and Sasha throw Alexis under, Alexis and Trinity call out Peppermint, and Peppermint retaliates by naming Trinity.

In the Untucked lounge, Alexis tells Shea and Sasha she understands why they named her on the main stage – they see her as fierce competition.

Then Alexis criticizes her fellow queens’ outfits and it just feels like a serious case of the pot calling the kettle black. But I guess I admire how much she lives for herself.

Back on the main stage, Shea Couleé wins the challenge, once again. And once again, Sasha is a close second. WHYYYY.

RuPaul turns to Alexis Michelle and delivers this incredible gem of a line:

Joining Alexis in the bottom two is Peppermint – and you know this lip-sync is going to be fire. The song is Macho Man by the Village People and Alexis starts off the tomfoolery by plastering on a mustache.

Peppermint sees your mustache, Alexis, and raises you a wig reveal.

A few sickening dance moves later, Alexis Michelle tragically joins Cynthia Lee Fontaine in the “murdered by a Peppermint lip-sync” club.

Alexis, your confidence levels are off the charts, and so are your acting skills. I just wish your runway looks were on the same level. Perhaps, by the time you show up in All Stars 3 or 4, they will be. And I’ll be waiting, bitch. Shalom.

Time for a rundown!

Shea Couleé – With four wins in the bag, Shea winning season 9 seems extremely likely at this point – and she’s sickening, so I’m definitely cool with that. Even when her runway looks don’t quite match the theme, she makes them work for her in an incredible way. You go, girl.

Sasha Velour – Please forgive this Sasha fan, but she really should’ve won this challenge. Or maybe the previous one. Or the one before that. Really, she’s come in second on half the challenges this season and has only won when in a team with Shea. Is this some kind of conspiracy against her? Oop, I’m turning into Nina Bo’nina Brown. Sue me.

Trinity Taylor – Trinity may have been slightly less successful than Shea or Sasha this week, but she’s absolutely still in the lead – well, behind Shea, that is. She could still surprise everyone and win the whole thing, though.

Peppermint – Somehow, Peppermint started out fairly mediocre and became really good as the season progressed. But overall, given the caliber of each of her fellow competitors, I don’t know that she has what it takes to go any further than this. Guess we’ll find out.

That’s it, darlings! We’re almost at the end. Tune in next week when we find out who gets to be in the legendary top 3!