RuPaul's Drag Race: 10 Most Shocking Eliminations

As a new crop of queens prepares to enter the RuPaul's Drag Race workroom in Season 12, TVLine is looking back at those who came before — including the unforgettable exits we'll never forget. Read on for our personal ranking of the 10 most jaw-dropping eliminations, then click here to share your personal additions.

4. Alyssa Edwards (All Stars 2)

"Rolaskatox" struck again in the penultimate episode of All Stars 2. Despite consistently finding herself in the bottom, Roxxxy Andrews was spared by Detox, who opted to eliminate Alyssa Edwards — a far superior performer by all conceivable measures. We're not saying Alyssa would have beaten Detox, Katya and Alaska to the crown, but we would have loved to watch her try.

2. BenDeLaCreme (All Stars 3)

The pen may be mightier than the sword, but BenDeLaCreme proved that Wite-Out trumps them both when she chose to eliminate herself during All Stars 3. We're glad that DeLa was able to escape an overwhelming situation, but we'll always wonder how the season would have unfolded if she decided to stay. (And we'd be thrilled to see her back on that runway someday.)

6. BenDeLaCreme (Season 6)

BenDeLaCreme's first appearance on this list also comes from her first elimination back in Season 6. She and Darienne Lake squared off with an iconic Kelly Clarkson ballad, but while DeLa was clearly the "Stronger" competitor, RuPaul declared Darienne the victor, setting off an immediate social media firestorm.

9. Gia Gunn (All Stars 4)

Gia Gunn and Naomi Smalls' "Adrenaline"-fueled lip sync battle was a stand-out moment in All Stars 4, if not one of the most exciting face-offs in Drag Race herstory. So why was Gia sent sashaying away while Latrice Royale — whose battle against Monique Heart was far less impressive — earned a second chance in the competition?

7. Nina West (Season 11)

Silky Nutmeg Ganache was a polarizing figure from the jump, and her questionable victory against future Miss Congeniality winner Nina West didn't earn her any new fans in Season 11. On the bright side, it felt fitting that Nina sashayed away in her truest form — a human rainbow.

1. Shangela (All Stars 3)

You'd be hard-pressed to find a single Drag Race fan who doesn't have strong feelings — one way or another — about Shangela's elimination at the hands of All Stars 3's spiteful panel of eliminated queens. We're not saying Trixie Mattel doesn't deserve a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame, but considering that Shangela was favored by many to win, it was understandably shocking that she didn't even reach the top two.

8. Valentina (Season 9)

Eliminations can be shocking for all sorts of reasons. For example, we don't disagree that Valentina deserved the boot for not knowing the lyrics to Ariana Grande's "Greedy," but we were mostly baffled by the sheer audacity she displayed by initially Ru-fusing to remove her scarf.

3. Willam (Season 4)

Rules are made to be broken... unless they're made by RuPaul. Willam learned this the hard way in Season 4 when unauthorized visits from her husband led to the show's first and only elimination by way of disqualification.

5. Tatianna (All Stars 2)

The unholy trinity of Roxxxy Andrews, Alaska and Detox (aka "Rolaskatox") was a constant source of drama throughout All Stars 2. Just ask Tatianna, whose triumphant return was short-lived when Alaska eliminated her over Roxxxy... because Roxxxy let her borrow a shirt.

10. Vivienne Pinay and Honey Mahogany (Season 5)

You never forget your first. Honey Mahogany and Vivienne Pinay's lip sync battle — set to Britney Spears' "Oops!...I Did It Again," of all songs — was abysmal, but we never expected them both to get the chop. A double elimination was unprecedented back in Season 5, and it remains a rarity to this day, occurring only once more in Season 8.