The Werk Room was filled with glitter, tears, and one unforgettable shade of yellow as the queens of “Drag Race Philippines” Season 4 transformed their second episode into a heartfelt tribute to their late sister, Misua.
The 27-year-old Cagayan de Oro drag artist, whose real name was Jason Elvie Ty, passed away in her sleep on April 2 while the season was still in production. Her death prompted the show to temporarily halt filming as the cast and crew were given time to grieve.
When the competition returned to television, Misua may have been absent from the Werk Room, but her presence was impossible to miss.
The episode opened with an emotional tribute acknowledging the artist who brought “light, artistry, and joy” to those around her.
“Misua, you will always have a place in our hearts. Maraming salamat at paalam, Queen Misua, we love you,” host and main judge Paolo Ballesteros said, as the queens and judges paid tribute to the late performer.
And because this is “Drag Race,” the tribute did not stop at tears—it came with spectacle.
A yellow dragon takes the stage
Misua’s fellow queens from Eme La’ Chikazsx carried her presence into the Girl Group challenge, performing the verse she had written before her passing.
Then came the dragon.
The yellow dragon that had appeared during Misua’s talent performance in the season premiere returned to the stage, with Manza twirling it under a spotlight as Misua’s verse played.
It was a striking image: a prop that once represented a queen’s performance now becoming a symbol of her memory.
Mamwa Pao also made sure Misua’s absence was acknowledged without taking away from the spirit of the competition.
“And with that, we shall honor our beloved Misua by giving you all the very best show—exactly as she would have wanted,” she said.
For her fellow queens, however, the tribute carried a much more personal weight.
Merckz recalled how Misua once told her, “Ate nasa spotlight na tayo.”
The excitement of finally seeing themselves on the franchise was quickly overshadowed by the devastating news of Misua’s death.
“Sabi niya, ‘ate nasa spotlight na tayo.’ Tapos the next day naririnig ko [‘yong balita]... Alam ko naman na she wouldn’t want us…na parang magiging defeated tayo dahil nawala siya,” Merckz said.
Then came ‘Dilaw’
The episode reached its emotional peak when Katana and Merckz faced each other in a lip sync battle to Maki’s “Dilaw.”
The choice of song could not have been more fitting.
Yellow had become inseparable from Misua’s memory, echoing the dragon she brought to the premiere and the warmth she left among her sisters.
But the battle quickly became more than a fight for a RuBadge.
As Merckz struggled to hold back her emotions, Katana noticed and stopped to embrace her. The two queens eventually brought Misua’s yellow dragon into the performance, taking turns dancing with it.
The judges and fellow contestants watched through tears as the lip sync transformed into something far more intimate—a farewell between sisters.
Merckz ultimately won the battle and claimed her first RuBadge, dedicating the victory to Misua.
In classic “Drag Race” fashion, the stage was still a competition runway, but for a moment, winning almost felt secondary. The real victory was keeping Misua’s spirit alive.
More than a queen, a sister
During the season's Meet the Queens, Misua had spoken openly about her family's journey toward accepting her drag.
“I’m very afraid to show that part of me kasi I don’t feel like they’d welcome it as much as I want them to,” she said.
She recalled being told to stop doing drag when she first started.
“Noong nag-start akong mag-drag, talagang sinabihan ako na ‘tigilan mo ’yan’ kasi ’di naman daw ako pinag-aral para lang magsayaw-sayaw around bars. But over time, na-feel ko na they accept me naman,” she shared.
That acceptance became part of the story she brought to the competition, making her time on “Drag Race Philippines” more than a quest for a crown.
It was an opportunity to represent her artistry, her family, and the vibrant drag community of Cagayan de Oro.
Although she never got to showcase her planned “Pa-cyborg” look on the mainstage, her art continued to live through her fellow performers, who have since worn and shared pieces she created.
A little yellow forever
By the end of the episode, the yellow dragon was no longer simply a prop.
It had become a farewell.
Misua's sisters, judges, and fellow queens each left their messages for her as rehearsal footage played one final time.
She may no longer be walking into the Werk Room, serving a look, or fighting for a badge—but her artistry remains stitched into the season.
And perhaps that is the most fitting “Drag Race” legacy of all.
Misua may be gone from the runway, but her dragon is still dancing.
Ikaw ay dilaw.
