As a faithful top model watcher for many seasons now, I am hardly ever surprised by the crazy things that Tyra Banks plans for her gaggle of aspiring models. But this week I have to admit that I was taken a little aback. This week Tyra decided to unleash her inner arsonist and have the girls walk down a fire runway.

Yes, you heard right. This week the girls walked down a fire-lit runway wearing fashions by Geoffrey Mac, the personal designer of superstar singer Lady Gaga. And if that was not enough, the girls themselves had to brave the flames as well. As each model strutted down the runway, she was forced to wear gloves that had been set on fire. The gloves were all coated with a fire-containing material to protect the skin, but the prospect of being set on fire is scary nonetheless.

Some girls triumphed on the runway, while other struggled to find their footing. It was Dalya who was ultimately declared the winner of the challenge while Sara, Kasia and Hannah were all scolded by Jay Manuel for their shaky runway walks.

After the runway challenge, the girls participated in a commercial shoot instead of a photo shoot. The models were paired up and given the role of playing sexy seductresses for their “Fierce Roast Coffee” commercial. Playing a sexy character came easily to some girls, like it was for plus-sized model Kasia, and difficult for others, like it was for tomboy Sara. Sara, with her short hair and androgynous features, has struggled with confidence issues the whole season and they came to a head during the photo shoot. She moved awkwardly, failed to nail her lines and clearly felt inferior to the other more feminine-looking models.

In the end, Sara’s lack of confidence landed her in the bottom two with Alexandria during panel. Alexandria’s landed in the bottom two not because of her performance, but because of her diva attitude. She seems to think that she is better than everyone and appears to have no motivation to prove herself to anyone. But in the end, it is clear that confidence triumphs over androgyny on ‘Top Model’. Alexandria was given a second chance and Sara was sent packing.

This guest post is by Edwin Daniels, an entertainment blogger for USdish. Follow him on Twitter.