Misua spent years helping other drag queens prepare for their moment in the spotlight. In the latest episode of Drag Race Philippines, audiences finally saw one of her own last moments on that stage.
The late Cagayan de Oro drag artist, whose real name was Jason Elvie Ty, remained a presence throughout the second episode of Season 4 even though she died while the competition was still being filmed earlier this year.
Misua died in her sleep on April 2 at age 27. Production was temporarily suspended following her death, giving the contestants, cast and crew time and support before filming eventually resumed. No cause of death has been publicly announced.
But the footage and work Misua had already completed were not erased from her Drag Race journey.
In the episode, titled “Can I Get an Eme?,” viewers saw Misua taking part in the season’s girl group challenge, including confessionals filmed before her death. She had also recorded vocals for the number—material that would later become part of the episode’s tribute to her.
Her appearance carried another layer because of her history with fellow Season 4 contestant Merckz.
Before becoming competitors on television, the two had worked behind the scenes in Philippine drag. Merckz had worked as a choreographer while Misua was a fashion designer, helping other performers prepare before the pair eventually earned their own opportunity to compete on Drag Race Philippines.
That shared history became especially poignant when Merckz recalled a conversation they had about finally being the ones stepping into the spotlight.
When production resumed without Misua, the show did not simply continue as though nothing had happened.
Her recorded verse remained in the group performance. As Misua’s voice played, Merckz appeared onstage carrying a yellow dragon while the lighting was lowered, incorporating her absent friend directly into a challenge originally conceived as part of the competition.
Host Paolo Ballesteros also became emotional while addressing Misua’s death, extending condolences to her family, loved ones and drag family, the House of Lafeya. He told the contestants that Misua would continue to be remembered throughout the season.
The usual elimination format was also set aside for the episode. No contestant was sent home, with Merckz and Katana instead competing in a lip-sync for the win. Merckz ultimately took the challenge victory.
Misua’s story, however, stretches beyond the footage audiences saw on television.
She was a Cagayan de Oro-based performer and fashion designer associated with Haus of LaFeya, and tributes poured in from the Philippine drag community following news of her death. Her family remembered her not only as a performer but also as a son, brother, friend and mentor.
When the Season 4 cast was eventually revealed, Misua was still included in the official lineup despite her death months earlier. Her family also said they would share the runway looks she had prepared but was unable to showcase during the competition.
The episode ultimately gave audiences something those unseen looks alone could not: Misua herself—speaking in confessionals, participating in the challenge and hearing her own recorded voice on the Drag Race Philippines stage.
The closing tribute expanded beyond Misua as the cast also remembered late Drag Race Philippines judge Jiggly Caliente, who died in April 2025.
For Misua, the episode preserved the transition she and Merckz had once talked about—from helping other queens behind the curtain to becoming the performers audiences were watching.
And while her Drag Race Philippines run ended under circumstances no one involved had expected, the work she completed ensured that her place in Season 4 did not disappear with her.