The semi-finals of Bio-Cup 2022 have come to a close, and this round may just have been the toughest of them all. Each competitor literally put their “blood, sweat and tears” into this Round 3 for a shot at the elusive finals and a chance to win it all. As you might have guessed, that’s the theme this round (which really threw everyone for a loop). But despite the theme’s challenge, each builder once again brought their best to the table and really provided a wonderful semi-final round. Let’s take a closer look.

Blood

There are many ways to build for the sub-theme of “blood”—of course, one way is to reimagine what actual blood does. Eero has built a very creative interpretation of a hemoglobin and all he had to do is switch one letter. This “Hemogoblin” rides a sleek motorcycle which allows it to transport oxygen canisters as fast as possible to wherever it is needed.

Buttloaf has created another nod to how human blood functions by creating a “Bloodsmith” referencing the iron that is found in the blood. Whether this is the original intent I don't know for sure, but it’s a great way to interpret the theme. Not only that but the forge underneath the character is very unique compared to a traditional blacksmith forge.

For the third blood-related build, Max brings to life a blood clot. With a large weapon such as that, I don't think anything is getting past it. Of course, the wonderful nods to both blue and red blood veins are also a really great touch that adds a great secondary color pop. And what is a Max build without a very special head comprised of outlandish parts combinations that just work so well together!?

Sweat

Running along a hot sandy beach is the dream for many until they realize how sweaty and sticky that can really become. Brickolson really brings this exact scene to life with a wonderful skeleton pirate running away with his newly found treasure. Not only do the posing and expressions really sell this build, the small pirate in the background really ties it all together. (Now they just need to enter our Pirates contest too!)

Despite switching from an outdoor to an indoor scene, MSEP brings us an equally sweaty situation. Not only is there great stress when you know you're trying to hide something, but someone yelling at you only adds to the tension. Some might even go as far as to say you'd end up sweating like a pig if put in this situation, taking a lie detector test and sweating bullets on the floor.

Another way everyone sweats is doing hard work such as lifting heavy weights. In this case, the weight is the character’s pet animal. Vohdoff is able to convey that, despite the weight, the characters in this “Arduous Carrier” build are still enjoying each other very much.

Tears

Now onto a build that is sure to bring a tear to your eye. Not from sadness though, but because it's an onion… literally everyone cries when they even look at an onion. After clearing your eyes you can see how great of a build this is from Ivan, it showcases not only nice part usage (and using magnets on a tough piece to achieve a face) but is a great take on the theme and creative way to portray a simple vegetable.

After crying unstoppable tears, we now find ourselves with questionable ones, also called “crocodile tears.” Jack brings to life literal crocodile tears with a seemingly hungry croc, but upon a second look, you can see a single tear running down its face. Whether it’s a genuine tear or not we may never know, but what we do know is that this is expertly built and has perfect facial expressions.

As this roundup comes to a close, we have a more somber build from Ryan. The build achieves sad expressions not by using specific pieces but by placing stickers on Bionicle canister lids which really elevates this build to the next level. The colors also really compliment the build and help sell the name “Tearful Reunion,” seeing bright color on one side and dreary grays on the other.

What amazing builds will the Bio-Cup 2022 final round bring? I can’t wait to find out and share them with you.

How would you interpret the theme of “Blood, Sweat and Tears”? Let us know in the comments below!

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