LEGS LIKE GUMBY?
Each of the girls performs their strongest walk, stomping and strutting for the judges. Janice comments that Naima had "legs like Gumby" during her walk, but that her beauty shot could be seen in any magazine on the stands today. Nolé loves the spice she added to the commercial, and Tyra is impressed that she could pull it off. When the judges ask where this energy is coming from, Naima says that in suppressing her past, she was suppressing all over herself. Janice says, "It's the past, it's [over,]" and for the first time, Naima's composure breaks in front of the judges. Keenyah walks next, and though Gretha doesn't like her walk much, Nigel thinks her photo works really well. Janice doesn't love her pose, nor could she recognize any of her inner beauty in the commercial. Nigel disagrees; he believes that the commercial was where her greatest strengths came out. Kahlen walks last, and Nigel wonders if she even breathes as she walks. When her photo comes on screen, Nigel, Janice and Nolé all love it; Nigel wonders where she's been hiding her smile, and Janice thinks it's her strongest photo ever. However, Tyra doesn't like it: "It doesn't look like a cosmetic ad." Nigel and Janice both agree that her commercial shoot was terrific, while Nolé and Tyra think she didn't pop so well.
As deliberations begin, the judges have disagreements over all three girls. Tyra feels that her mind was changed with Naima's performance, but Janice thinks that she needs more than a great smile. When it comes to Kahlen, Gretha thinks "she's got the stuff to make it," and Tyra acknowledges that she can definitely stomp the runway, but can she make it as a spokesmodel? That's still up in the air. Nigel believes that Keenyah nailed the CoverGirl stuff, but Janice feels that she's not high fashion enough. Though she is striking, Janice repeats, "Keenyah needs to lose weight." Tyra notes that the three all have strengths and weaknesses, but as Gretha says, "There can only be one."
SHOCK AND AWE, PART ONE
The elimination round begins, and Tyra hands over the first photo to Naima, who "opened up a door to [her] heart and to [her] spirit" tonight. Keenyah and Kahlen step forward, and Tyra asks them to face each other. To Kahlen, Tyra explains that Keenyah has everything that Kahlen lacks: sparkle, spunk and the power to command attention. Keenyah needs what Kahlen has as well: the ability to "pose her ass off in a photo," and a strong presence on the runway. With that, Tyra reveals Kahlen's photo, and Keenyah is stunned to be going home. With tears in her eyes, Keenyah says, "I honestly am a little bit shocked… Right before [Tyra] called the names, she said, 'One of you has more potential than the other, one of you is stronger,' I thought she was talking about me. I really wanted to be one of the last two, I really thought that I had more potential than Kahlen."
After Naima and Kahlen take some time to reflect on their positions in the final two, Jay meets with them to explain what the final challenge will entail: a runway show incorporating the designers Poison Ivy, Gavin Rajah and Ruby. It will be a huge event, during which Kahlen and Naima will have to strike their poses on a runway submerged a few inches under water. J. Alexander emerges to demonstrate and explains, "You model tramps need to stomp this water and make this water do the water dance if it's the last thing you do… Can either of you swim?"
WORK IT
Tyra arrives backstage to give moral support and advice on what to do when out on the ramp, punctuating her pep talk with a "Work it!" As they are dressed and made up, neither girl wants to be around the other, each preferring to focus on her own game. Naima is up first for the lingerie walk, and when she gets out in front of the audience, she feels "superhuman." Kahlen "can feel [her] heart getting ready to explode" after that first pose. The second walks go well for both of them (despite Kahlen's difficulties in getting dressed), and they can hear the judges screaming for them behind the lights. The third walk is the tough one: it's when the judges will compare them to one another. Dressed in their swimsuits, Naima and Kahlen stomp in step with each other, posing on opposite ends of the runway. Following that is the finale, when all the models emerge on the ramp from under a waterfall, and at the end, Naima and Kahlen pose and dance under the falling water.