The Pose “Reading Is Fundamental” Library is open. This week: "Never Knew Love Like This Before"

Previously: “Butterfly/Cocoon”

Well, we've been through a lot this episode. A beloved character died. Pray finally got on his AZT after being needled and nudged by Blanca and Nurse Judy. Shit got heavy, tears were shed, lips were synched, and I broke into the Emmy vault, grabbed an armload of trophies, and am ready to pelt Janet Mock and Ryan Murphy in their faces for writing this stunning episode.

But balancing the weightier moments were some truly inspired reads, some shade for the ages, and some of of Pray Tell's best looks to date. So let's get into it. And may Candy Abundance Ferocity rest in power.

First things first, this week’s Reading Is Fundamental Excellence in Shade Award goes to this perennial best burn, delivered by Pray during his and Candy's last epic exchange in the ballroom.

This read is the equivalent of a little black dress—just pull it out of the closet whenever anyone sets you up with a "Why are you always putting me down?" You can then follow it up with this curt response.

Brevity, as Shakespeare wrote, is the soul of both wit and bitch.

While Pray and Blanca were visiting Sandy Bernhard's Nurse Jackie, Nurse Debbie was ready to get up on the dance floor.

But here's a sound piece of advice for anyone trying to learn the newest dance craze:

Remember when Sandy B. and Madonna were best friends until they weren't? Well, that herstory makes Judy's admission about "Vogue" especially delightful.

It, however, might've been funnier (at least in a meta way) if Judy actually hated that damn song. But why upset the gay cart?

How's about we get into this haberdashery? Here's Pray on his way to meet with the MC council, which I hope is revealed to be a secret cabal with designs on world domination.

When someone suggests a new category to liven things up—lip synching—Pray shoots it down with the precision and ruthlessness of a veteran assassin.

According to Pray, lip-synching isn't how you do a ball—"It's how you do ventriloquism."

Not Miss Patti!

Miss Candy shows up unexpected, however, looking like, in Pray's words:

Candy agrees with the idea of a lip synch category, but Pray and the other MCs are having none of it, causing her to deliver another, and a final, classic Candy overreaction.

Sadly, she'd never get a chance to threaten someone's life with a hastily-grabbed weapon again.

End of an era.

Meanwhile, as a Scorpio, I don't care for this entirely truthful but still completely uncalled for dig.

Sidenotes:

How precious was it when Elektra, Angel, and Blanca did a solid for their fallen sister and beat her face for the heavens?

But really, though, did they have a choice? This wig was insult to injury.

It was so nice to finally get to the bottom of Pray's cruelty to Candy, which definitely seemed intentional.

In his own way, Pray was just trying to protect her. Sometimes tough love takes the form of withering reads.

Pray channeled his inner Billy Porter, however, in Candy's fantasy lip synch sequence, donning this breathtaking gold lamé kaftan I'm pretty sure Miss Porter borrowed from her own closet.

Was anyone else getting some serious Sex and the City movie vibes from this outfit?

She put a bird on her head!

I mean: this.

I never knew feels like this before.

And as always, how we end things around here: an ode to Lil Papi.

Lil. Papi.

Has anyone looked happier while dancing worse?

Meanwhile, I see you, Damon! Comforting Papi's bicep in its time of grief.

Now this is the throuple I never knew I needed.

The Library is now closed.