NAIMA IS AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL
The final days were intensely competitive between the top three: Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan. Following the CoverGirl commercial and photo shoots, Keenyah was eliminated, leaving Naima and Kahlen to fight it out during a fashion show complete with a runway submerged under water. Though both models were strong contenders with differing strengths, in the end, Naima came through with powerful "final exam" results, and she was named the winner of America's Next Top Model.

STAYING FOCUSED
Tyra arrives to speak to each of the girls one-on-one about where their minds are at this late stage of the game, and Kahlen is first up. She assures Tyra that she has confidence, having dealt with nay-sayers in the past, and she's driven to become a model no matter what anyone else says. Naima has learned to be comfortable with herself, and to let go of self-hatred. Tyra finds that fact interesting, since oftentimes the competition and constant critique can cause the opposite effect. Keenyah is focused on keeping herself at the front of the competition, and Tyra wonders if she's been eating more to relieve stress. Although Tyra knows that Keenyah doesn't have the luxury to start her career in whatever arm of the industry she wants, she does recommend that Keenyah focus on eating healthy and go from there.

THE COMMERCIAL
Tyra Mail arrives, letting the girls know that they have to be ready at 6:45AM the following morning for a challenge. When the time arrives, they meet Jay Manuel at Sasani studios to shoot a commercial for CoverGirl Outlast make-up. The commercial will have two elements: a runway show and fun backstage action. Following the commercial, the girls will shoot a print campaign for CoverGirl. J. Alexander and Jay Manuel call out suggestions to all the girls for the runway part of the shoot. When Keenyah struts her stuff, Jay becomes frustrated with her constant winking and blowing the camera kisses. Naima recognizes that Keenyah has changed, and that she's more arrogant than ever before. The behind the scenes pieces are fun for the girls to shoot, but all three of them have trouble delivering their lines in a close up shot for the camera. Kahlen has the toughest time of all, struggling over and over with her words.

THE BEAUTY SHOT
Next is the CoverGirl print campaign beauty shot, and Keenyah is up first. Jay gives her pointers as she poses. Later, Jay comments that "her smile just got stuck there." Naima is next, and though she's nervous over the make or break nature of the shoot, Jay helps her through it with tips and eventually says, "bellissima." Meanwhile, Kahlen feels that the beauty shot will give her a chance to redeem herself after her miserable commercial shoot.

The next day is the elimination, and Keenyah feels that her greatest competition is Naima, since Kahlen is struggling. Kahlen thinks it's going to be her turn to go home as well since right now it's less about photos and more about performance. But it all comes down to the panel, and Tyra is there to greet the three with the judges, including guest judge Gretha Scholtz, creator of the Poison Ivy bathing suit designs. There are three criteria for the night's judging: the commercial, runway walk, and the photo. Everyone watches as Tyra airs the CoverGirl commercial, and after that, it's time for the runway demo.

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.

SHOCK AND AWE, PART TWO
The big day arrives, and Naima and Kahlen arrive at panel wearing the evening dresses they modeled for the fashion show. Tyra explains that this is the time when everything they've learned will come into play, and they will "graduate into the real world of modeling as America's Next Top Model." There will be no guest judge this time, and they start the evaluation of the runway show with Naima. Tyra tells her, "You scared me when you came out, but in a good way. I was in shock; I was in awe. "Kahlen's first appearance was equally as thrilling for Tyra: "When you started walking, I thought you were fierce. I felt the stomp." But Tyra also mentions that Kahlen's mouth and neck get really tense on the runway, and that she needs to remember that.

The past photo shoots now come into play, starting with the first week. The judges compare all of them, pointing out positives and negatives, ending with the CoverGirl shoot. Janice thinks that Kahlen's photo is "stunning," and while Nigel likes Naima's shot, he prefers Kahlen's. Tyra asks the two finalists why they should be America's Next Top Model. Kahlen's answer: "I think I've overcome so much of who I am. I've overcome sitting in the corner, and not being 'that pretty girl,' and being overlooked time and time again and never being good enough." When Naima begins, she breaks down in tears. "I hated myself. I hated this girl. That was my lowest point, Tyra. I walked in here today and I felt beautiful." With that, deliberations begin.

THE FINAL EXAM
When it comes to Kahlen, her body of work is superior to that of Naima, but if considering "the final exam" of the CoverGirl shoot, commercial and runway show, "Naima wins hands down." Nolé loves Kahlen's photos, but in person, "she's just dry," while Janice sees Kahlen as having exactly the right body proportions for designers. On the other hand, Nigel thought Naima ruled the runway show with her strength and presence, and Tyra "still has chills thinking about it." But Tyra is inspired by Kahlen's photos, and Nolé believes that she's produced one of ANTM's best overall portfolios. Tyra finally sums it up: "What do we choose--the girl who did well all semester and kind of failed the final exams, or the girl who did fair during the semester and killed during the final exams?"

It's the longest decision making process the judges have ever been through for the final choice. Naima's journey was a solid one, but her final was amazing; she has "an aura that speaks to a lot of young girls in America, and in the final fashion show, you rocked." On the other hand, Kahlen's photos "rival the top models that are in Elle, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar right now." But Kahlen's final performance wasn't as strong; she didn't "own" the fashion show. As the tension builds, Tyra points to a display where the winner's photo will appear and, finally, Naima's photo flashes on screen. "I'm speechless," she exclaims joyfully, and Tyra embraces her. Kahlen's tears fall freely; she is devastated to have lost. "When I set foot on that runway, it made me realize why I wanted to do this… I feel like modeling is kind of my way of expressing my emotions, and it took this competition to really open my eyes."

"I'M EVERYTHING"
Naima is overwhelmed by her win, tearful and happy. "I was forced to look inside Naima and see what makes me me, what makes me beautiful, and I found it… I am a CoverGirl… Part of the reason why I felt I had to win this is because I represent something more than myself. I represent a black girl, a Mexican girl. I'm part Irish, I'm everything."