Editor’s note: this column contains “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 12 spoilers.

If there’s one thing I’m thankful for regarding the pandemic, it’s that we went into lockdown right as season 12 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” began airing. 

Escaping into the colorful, creative and campy worlds of the captivating season 12 cast has been something I’ve looked forward to every week for the past three months, and with the finale only a day away, it is with great pleasure that I announce my endorsement of Crystal Elizabeth Methyd for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar.

From the moment of Methyd’s introduction on the show — where she sported a green and gold clown costume with a stunning silhouette and the cartoonishly overdrawn lips we would all eventually come to love — fans knew they were in for a treat. Methyd describes herself as “the crust punk fairy godmother,” and her bombastic fashion and inspiring confidence are truly unlike that of any other queen that has ever appeared on the show.

Crystal Methyd’s unique form of drag strays away from traditional female impersonation and is instead a bold dive into the world of crafty costume work and breaking the rules of what can and can’t be couture.

Mismatched textures, clashing colors, endless accessories and intentional tackiness are only a few of the staple fashion crimes executed flawlessly by Methyd in her runway looks. Despite competing alongside traditionally fashion-forward and conventionally feminine queens Gigi Goode and Jaida Essence Hall in the upcoming finale, Methyd’s ability to convert “wacky” into glamour makes her the star of the season.

Described as “the dark horse of season 12” by Bustle, Methyd’s initial reservedness and insecurity ferociously gave way to unsullied enthusiasm and outrageous performance, both in challenges and on the runway, over the course of the season. From often ranking “safe” or in the bottom of each challenge, Methyd has been on a sharp and unexpected incline since episode six. With each new episode, she came further and further into her own identity and gave the judges and the fans watching at home a new reason to love her optimism and hair-brained creativity even more.

Methyd bounced back from doing poorly in the “Snatch Game” — a challenge, widely regarded as the most difficult of each season, where the queens have to impersonate a public figure while answering game show-style questions from the judges — with a scarily-accurate yet extremely humorous impression of Madonna during her “Ray of Light” era in the following episode. This marked the beginning of her climb to the top three.

Pairing a hilariously campy and absurd mock infomercial with a ghoulish “Corpse Bride”-inspired ensemble showed us her powerful range as an artist, designer, performer and visionary. Her often-thrifted and always-DIY runway looks — where she dresses as various monsters, animals, characters and other creatures — show us a tough contestant who isn’t afraid to bend the “rules” of drag and knows how to not take herself seriously, which, as RuPaul puts it, is how you win the show. 

Aside from her fashion, her natural hilarity and lack of shame makes her a superb over-actor and fierce competitor in the various performance challenges. No matter how ridiculous the look or stupid the concept of her act, Methyd consistently receives glowing feedback from the judges and encouragement to keep showing the world how she does drag.

Methyd has come a long way from being the season’s underdog, and whether or not she wins, she will certainly stay in the spotlight. The Missouri queen began doing drag in 2015 and founded her own monthly drag night, “Get Dusted,” to make up for the lack of a strong drag community in her hometown of Springfield. This makes her not only a champion of unconventional drag, but a pioneer of a beloved local drag staple. 

Aside from her originality and dedication to drag, Crystal Methyd’s secret weapon is her status as the fan favorite. On top of being widely praised by fans for the One Direction tattoo on her chest, “#TeamCrystal” has thousands more engagements on Twitter than either of the other top three contestants. 

Despite what her two competitors may have planned for the live finale, Methyd has the “Drag Race” fan base by her side. Her wacky antics will continue to be her greatest ally, and I know I’m going to miss seeing her on my TV every week.

Crystal Methyd’s imagination is superhuman, her dedication is unbelievable and her optimism is contagious. She’s truly unlike any other queen, which is why she, above anyone else, deserves the crown.

The season 12 finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will air Friday.