Watch the aftermath of Mhi'ya & Plasma's controversial lip sync in this EXCLUSIVE 'Drag Race' clip

The queens are challenged to use their “Power”!

Out has the exclusive premiere of the first act of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 episode 10… and, baby, the girls are gagged and gooped and gathered!

Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige has just survived her third lip sync for your life on Drag Race, which is very rare when it comes to past track records. Oftentimes, third time’s the charm for a lip-syncing queen to sashay away, but not for the Queen of Flips herself. And these queens are feeling the pressure, henny.

“Plasma was just eliminated, and she had two wins. I’m kind of glad that some competition is gone,” Q says in a confessional. “[But] Plasma leaving says that anybody can go home at any moment, no matter how many wins you have. It comes down to that final lip sync. If you don’t sell it, you’re going home.”

After Plasma’s lipstick mirror message is read, Morphine Love Dion and Sapphira Cristál congratulate Mhi’ya on an “amazing” and “fantastic” lip sync, which makes the Queen of Flips smile. “I can’t believe you flipped… in a gown,” Q comments.

Morphine adds, “I thought you were going to be sent home because you didn’t have a wig under your wig, but it was sickening.” Sapphira says, “You are thee lip sync assassin.” Dawn notes, “Three for three, mama.”

Despite all the compliments shared in the werk room, we also get a #RealTalk confessional from Sapphira — who helped Mhi’ya in episode 9’s design challenge — reflecting on her, as Tatianna would say, choices. “I am in awe of Mhi’ya,” Sapphira says. “And kind of wishing that we got rid of her earlier. Maybe I shouldn’t have helped the b*tch.”

Mhi’ya reveals in a confessional that she was becoming close friends with Plasma, noting that it didn’t feel good to send her home. The Queen of Flips also realizes that it’s going to get harder from here on out to keep surprising the judges with her lip sync performances, but she’s glad to be a good performer who’s been persevering in the competition.

The werk room conversation moves on to the queens congratulating Q for her second maxi challenge in. She is now tied with Nymphia Wind and Plane Jane for two wins, whereas Sapphira and Mhi’ya have one win each. On the other hand, Dawn hasn’t won a maxi challenge nor had to lip sync for her life. Morphine also hasn’t won a challenge, but she did have to lip sync against Xunami Muse.

“It feels like the girls have their eyes on me,” Q says in a confessional. “They’re seeing me snatch another win up. I think they’re gunning for me to, you know, fall again.”

Dawn is frustrated about not winning any challenges. Morphine is even more concerned, as she hasn’t even gotten a top placement yet. When Nymphia jokes that the show could have all design challenges up until the finale, Mhi’ya puts her two fingers up and jokes that she’d just be “walking out” at that point… which is hilarious.

Morphine joins in on the fun with a read about Mhi’ya needing Sapphira’s help if they do have another design challenge, but that creates a little bit of a tiff between the two Miami dolls. After some back and forth between them, Q says what we’re literally all thinking: “I wanna see the Morphine versus Mhi’ya lip sync!” Morphine explains that if she had to lip sync against Mhi’ya, she would’ve cut up her dress to make sure she didn’t lose that lip sync. “You still was gonna go home whether it’s cut or not,” Mhi’ya replies, and everybody is just SCREAMING at this point.

Dawn, who’s trying not to catch strays from Morphine vs. Mhi’ya, says in a confessional: “I’m sitting right next to these motherf*ckers and I’m like… scary! Is this what you do in Miami? That’s a lot.” Yours truly, writing this, is from Miami. Don’t come for our Miami culture, Dawn! But, yes, we can get spicy here… sometimes.

The next day in the werk room, Q is feeling her Lady Gaga fantasy as she reveals that she’s having “Sexxx Dreams” with some of her season 16 costars. In a confessional, Dawn adds that she’s also going through the same experience, but refuses to acknowledge which other queen those dreams have been about. The “who did Monét X Change have sex with on All Stars 7” fanfic saga is getting a bunch of sequels as we speak!

Mama Ru’s message makes it very clear that this week’s going to feature a political challenge — a tradition that Drag Race has followed for many years. Season 4 (which aired in 2012), season 8 (which aired in 2016), and season 12 (which aired in 2020) all had political challenges that encouraged Drag Race viewers to register to vote and engage in U.S. presidential elections. It wouldn’t be any different in season 16, which is airing in 2024.

While historical data is fun, new data is always subject to change. But here’s a fun fact: every single winner of a political challenge on Drag Race has gone on to win that season. Sharon Needles (season 4), Bob the Drag Queen (season 8), and Jaida Essence Hall (season 12). Again, this fun fact doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does make us look at this challenge even more carefully.

RuPaul then joins the werk room and announces this week’s maxi challenge. The season 16 queens will have to inspire fans to vote in this year’s elections. They’ll do that by letting their voices be heard in the new Drag Race inspirational anthem “Power.”

First, the queens will have to write a solo verse about “what matters to you as a drag queen living in the U.S.A.” They’ll then record their vocals with composers Leland and Freddy Scott. Next up, they’ll learn choreography and shake their groove thang with choreographer Jamal Sims. Last but certainly not least, Mama Ru announces that this new song, “Power,” will be featured in the next iteration of the Werq the World Tour.

The queens are feeling the pressure, itching for another win, and/or trying their hardest not to land in the bottom again. Can they do it?! We can’t WAIT to see how this turns out…

You can watch Out’s exclusive preview of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 episode 10 below — and make sure to tune into new episodes every Friday on MTV.