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the-oracle-of-the-lost · 3 months ago

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I watched every Star Trek episode & here are my opinions.

as the title says – i finished all the Star Trek shows as of today yesterday and since i watched most of them while i wasn't using tumblr, i want do do some mini-reviews – both what i think are objectively the best shows and which are my personal favorites. i might make a couple more "ranking" posts for theme song/pilot/finale/favorite epsiodes/etc eventually but this post is already long as hell. i'll also probably do a movie post sometime but i want to rewatch the AOS movies first since i haven't seen Into Darkness since it came out (before i was actively a Trekkie).

also just as a note, these are fully my own opinions & tastes. i'm not trying to argue that any of these shows are bad (nor are any flawless), i'm just Some Guy giving my opinions.

continued under the cut. apologies for how long this is but there sure is a lot of Star Trek.

Watch Order

my opinions are probably a bit influenced by the order that i first watched these shows in so just as some background – i watched sporadic episodes of TOS & TNG when i was a kid which was enough to be familiar with the characters, general vibes, & world but not enough to really get into it. in late 2020/early 2021 i watched DS9 per a friend's recommendation and really loved it and decided to give all the different shows a shot. i watched all of TNG summer 2021, watched some of Disco & (what was then all of) Lower Decks in fall 2021. i started Voyager spring 2022, was interrupted because of Life Stuff and finished it spring 2023. i watched the first season of snw & prodigy sometime in between then. watched Picard spring 2023 just before s3 aired. watched Enterprise summer/fall 2023. finished Disco spring 2024 (just before s5). did a slow march through TOS between summer 2023 and summer 2024. and finally i watched TAS this past month. and i've been keeping up with all recent releases since 2023.

i've also rewatched a large amount of Trek either with my mom or friends at various times so i've ended up seeing most episodes twice (or more in the case of DS9 & Voyager).

Somewhat Objective Ranking:

there's a large difference for me between shows that i think are objectively good & ones that i'm personally attached to so here's just my attempt at ranking Star Trek shows by how good i think they are from a critical lens, not necessarily my favorite.

for me – a good show, and specifically a good Star Trek show, should have in my opinion a) a diverse & strong cast of characters, b) have unique & compelling plots whether they're based in science fiction, politics, or philosophy, c) has a strong moral center & explores the nature of humanity in some way, d) allows the audience to believe in a better future, e) is consistent (both with continuity and episode quality), f) does something to differentiate it from other shows, and g) is actually entertaining.

i don't think any shows come close to fulfilling all of those qualities but some do better than others.

11. The Animated Series: probably not a surprise that it comes in last. it's a fun show by the standard of kid's cartoon in the 70s and i genuinely do like it but it has a lot of the flaws of TOS (lack of continuity, lack of character depth, flimsy plots) with few of the upsides. though i do like how the secondary characters get more of a focus than in TOS.

10. Enterprise: big jump up in quality here from TAS but Enterprise does fall flat compared to the other shows. the Vulcan & Andorian stories are almost always good but so much of s1 & s2 lacks creativity and a lot of the a plots end up feeling generic & reused (though the b plots are often great). s3 falls into an obvious & uncomfortable 9/11/war on terror metaphor that has not aged well. and s4 is a huge improvement but doesn't make up for the faults of earlier seasons. additionally, i think returning to "the Trio + secondary characters" was largely a mistake as characters like Hoshi & Travis remain horribly underdeveloped (and what a coincidence that they're characters of color...) all in all. some great ideas and a handful of great episodes but it doesn't make up for how meh large swathes of the show can be.

9. The Original Series: i'm going to be honest that it this is the hardest show to objectively rank just because it's the first and it's so hugely impactful not just on the Star Trek franchise (obviously) but also on science fiction, pop culture, TV production, and American culture. its impact is quite literally immeasurable and i think unfortunately it means the show will always feel small in comparison to the shadow it casts. don't get me wrong. some episodes are great even by today's standard, not to mention by the standard of the 60s. but so many episodes, especially as the show went on, end up being pretty mediocre, poorly paced, misogynistic/racist, and have thin plots. TOS is enjoyable for me because of the camp & exploring the foundations of this fictional universe i love so dearly but i'm not going to pretend that it's objectively better than other shows on this list just because of its legacy.

8. Picard: now i could pretty easily judge each season of Picard as its own show and each season would get spaced out in entirely different places on this list. i genuinely believe s1 of Picard is one of the best seasons of Star Trek. the writing fumbles a bit at the end but the characters, direction, & acting is some of the best of the franchise. unfortunately the choice to present each season as a separate anthology reallllly let's it down because of the lack of continuity between seasons. the pandemic definitely threw a wrench into the show but s2 (while i enjoy it), has a very messy meandering plot that feels insecure in its skin. s3 (which i also enjoy) has tighter writing but suffers majorly from having been outlined before the end of s2 therefore having a weird discontinuous transition between seasons and unfortunately excluding so many great characters from s1 & 2. i love it dearly (not to foreshadow my personal favorite ranking) but it is a mess.

7. Discovery: most of the critiques i have of Picard also stand for Discovery which also opted for the "anthology" style series which i think fundamentally doesn't work. Discovery took awhile to find its voice and after s3, still sung somewhat off key. Michael is easily one of the best & most well developed Star Trek characters and the rest of the cast is good but are painfully underdeveloped as its hyperserialized format doesn't really leave time to get to know the characters unless it's essential for the plot. like Picard, it also got screwed over by pandemic-era production leaving some episodes clumsily written. some seasons, in my opinion, end up with an overcomplicated plot that becomes difficult to follow. nevertheless, there are some episodes and scenes that are stunning and somewhat make up for the mis-steps. and ultimately, the later seasons of the show really do understand the heart of Star Trek.

6. Strange New Worlds: going back to an episodic style for the next live action show after the mixed reviews of Picard & Discovery was definitely a good choice. the writing is much tighter, the characters generally feel more whole, and there's more to grab onto compared to entirely serialized shows. and after a lot of the darkness in Discovery and Picard, it feels like a breath of fresh air to have a show that feels joyful & fun. however. so much of SNW is built off of pre-existing Star Trek (mainly TOS) that it struggles to form its own identity and when it tries to be a new show, it gets caught in the trap of betraying existing continuity. the episodes focusing on La'an, Uhura, M'Benga, & Una are great – some of the best of new trek – but episodes focusing on Spock, Chapel, and Pike end up feeling... off with messy writing and being Kinda Weird about disability/genetics. since it's only had two seasons, i definitely think SNW could ascend or descend in the rankings in the upcoming season(s).

5. The Next Generation: TNG wasn't quite as hard for me to rank as TOS but it sometimes struggles with a similar problem that its legacy in pop culture sometimes overshadows the show itself. it's also tricky because when TNG is good, it's phenomenal; when it's bad, it's really bad; but most episodes land somewhere in the middle. s1 is borderline unwatchable, s2 is just a step above, and from there it gets a lot stronger after behind the scene problems were worked out & it found a stable writing staff. it ends up striking a good balance of stories between straightforward science mysteries, deep explorations of philosophy, space politics, and fun romps. it ends up getting dragged down more than a little by Roddenberry's lingering insistence to have the characters avoid long term conflict and the very episodic style resulting in less ongoing story arcs. characters like Geordi, Wes, Beverly, & Troi also end up feeling somewhat underdeveloped in comparison to characters like Picard & Data.

4. Voyager: this is probably one of my more controversial picks (judging by how others tend to rank the series) and maybe i'm biased but i do genuinely believe that Voyager deserves its place this high on the list. Voyager is an inconsistent show which certainly pulls it down a little but manages to strike a better balance in episode quality and is able to have more dynamic characters & more ongoing narratives than TNG. Voyager still has its share of bad episodes and gets off to a somewhat shaky start (particularly struggling in early s2) but finds its groove more easily because of the experienced writing team that already had years of Star Trek under their belt & an excellent cast. Voyager's biggest stumbles are definitely in regards to under-serving some of the characters (especially Chakotay, Tuvok, and Harry) in later seasons.

3. Deep Space Nine: a somewhat obvious pick for top three Trek shows. DS9 has deservedly been getting its praises in recent years for its darker narratives, its bold approach to some of TV's first serialized stories, its exploration of politics & religion, and the masterful way it can bounce between nuanced episodes on serious topics & fun comedy. it flails a little bit in the first two seasons while finding its voice but compared to some of the other shows, it starts off strong and the quality is generally consistent with seasons 4 & 6 being the obvious highlight. however despite the strength of the characters, actors, and writing, there are certainly times when the show fumbles: episodes that get a bit too dark to bounce back from (and aren't followed up on), stories that present some troubling ethics without much pushback, and its fair share of the mediocre scifi mystery episodes seeded throughout 90s Trek.

2. Lower Decks: based on its first season, Lower Decks is a fun but non-serious entry into the Trek pantheon. so it was surprising when what seemed at first glance like a typical irreverent adult animation show, developed so much genuine heart for both the the Lower Decks characters & the wider Trek franchise. Lower Decks could have been an excuse to string together a bunch of fan-servicey references but it becomes genuinely heartfelt with great new characters, fun worldbuilding, actual insightful commentary on existing Trek, and the ability to laugh at itself while still being made with love. while the first two seasons drag it down a little bit (i think they went in too hard with the raunchy comedy vibes), season 3 and especially season 4 are really great especially with the exploration of Mariner's PTSD that strengthens her into one of the best character in Trek.

1. Prodigy: plenty of people have been singing Prodigy's praises since its untimely cancellation and no joke – it is, in my opinion, the best Star Trek show. it is more of a kids oriented show than the other entries on this list (except TAS) but that doesn't mean it lets up on having complex plots & characters. it might be the only Star Trek show that i genuinely believe doesn't have a bad episode (albeit a couple in s1 that are just okay) and s2 as whole is a masterpiece. the only things that let it down in my opinion are: somewhat clunky animation on close-ups (though the background animation is gorgeous) and the plot getting so over complicated by s2 that i had to draw a diagram to keep track of the time travel (and this is coming from someone who loves over complicated time travel stories.)

My Personal Favorite Star Trek Shows:

11. The Animated Series: as i said before – it's fun, i'm glad it exists, it doesn't really offend me, but with the exception of the episode Yesteryear, it doesn't really do anything for me.

10. The Original Series: yeah... i'm sorry. i just don't click with TOS that much (or TOS era in general as you can tell from the rest of this list). i can recognize its importance and there are definitely some episodes i really enjoyed (either for the camp factor or because they're genuinely good) but the majority of the episodes i either don't have much of an opinion on or i think are genuinely bad (in a not fun way). i'm also fine with looking past some of the bigotries of the time but even so the misogyny & racism in the show was just too much for me. sorry.

9. Strange New Worlds: i enjoy SNW for the most part but it's definitely dragged down because 1) i strongly dislike how Spock is written, 2) while i definitely like episodic Trek more, the short episode order does make the episodes i dislike stand out a lot more, 3) a lot of the show is built on nostalgia-bait for TOS era which... i just don't really have. there are great episodes but as a whole, i'm just not attached to it.

8. Discovery: i really disliked the first two seasons of Discovery when i first watched them and though they've grown on me, it's just too dark for me to really get into. seasons 3-5 i like a lot more and i appreciate how earnest & hopeful it is (especially compared to seasons 1 & 2) but the writing can be a bit heavy handed. and as much as i do really love Michael, i definitely prefer shows with a stronger focus on the ensemble as a whole. that said, i am definitely attached to the characters and really love the 32nd century worldbuilding that's done.

7. Enterprise: i'm honestly a bit surprised that i ended up liking Enterprise this much but the fourth season (with the exception of the finale that definitely doesn't exist) is banger after banger. and while the episodes of earlier seasons might be a bit uninspired, the general worldbuilding is genuinely interesting to me with the exploration of Vulcan politics, the Vulcan-Andorian War, the Temporal Cold War, the pre-Federation politics of Earth, and more. i'm also greatly endeared to all the secondary characters (Hoshi & Phlox particularly) which means it's also a shame that the non-Archer, Trip, & T'Pol characters get so little screentime. and while so much of the first two seasons is kinda bleh, the B plots & runners to those episodes end up being really fun and ends up creating a world & characters that feels worth exploring.

6. Prodigy: i think with time (and a possible third season...) Prodigy could become one of my favorite Treks and as i already said – it's very very good. the core cast of characters is really strong with all of them (except for maybe Murf & Jankom Pog) being well developed and compelling. the plot is interesting and feels relatively unique while still feeling like Star Trek at its core. it's also the rare example of a series that has a lot of fan-service while still retaining its identity and the strength of its own characters. ultimately, it ends up ranking lower on here than my more objective tier list because some of the angst & darkness i enjoy in stories doesn't quite deliver (which is very much not a fault of the show since it is a family show), the way Janeway is written doesn't always quite line up with my own view of the character (again, not a fault of the show), and the fact that i just haven't spent as much time with the show & characters yet.

5. The Next Generation: TNG is very much a comfort show to me. i don't have all that much to add from my objective review (there are very bad episodes, very good episodes, but most are somewhere in the middle). i really like all the characters and the behind the scenes friendships really translate well to the screen but none of them really compel me the way characters do further up on this list. i do give the show a lot of credit though for continuing the worldbuilding established in TOS and taking it in a new direction and a new vibes (rather than continuing the space western format) that is hugely influential to all of the shows that came after it.

4. Lower Decks: pretty much the same as my objective review – it's a fun show that ends up finding a good balance of humor, strong characters, and pointed commentary at past Trek shows. it's a show obviously filled with a lot of love for the franchise and i'm very glad it exists. aside from Mariner, i'm not quite as attached to the other characters but i do love them all.

3. Deep Space Nine: as i said before, DS9 is undoubtedly one of the strongest shows in Star Trek. it has the most recurring characters, pretty much all of which i find compelling, and a fantastic cast of regulars as well. the overall plot of the show is incredibly strong and allows it to have a lot of good commentary on imperialism, war, religion, race, and more. it has my two favorite episodes in all of Star Trek (The Visitor and Far Beyond the Stars) and so many other bangers as well. it's the show that first hooked me into Star Trek & the Star Trek fandom and it really is fantastic. the reason it doesn't rank higher here is entirely subjective in that i just don't feel as compelled to explore the characters & fandom as the last two shows on this list. other people have talked about how shows that are too objectively good aren't necessarily the best for fandom and that's how i kind of feel about DS9. it's great. i love it. i'm not necessarily compelled to feel like i have to add to it.

2. Picard: i can recognize that in many ways Picard kinda fails as a show (for reasons i've already stated) but that absolutely does not stop me from loving it. it's extremely messy and i've wanted to fix it ever since i saw it. it might be an unpopular opinion but the worldbuilding developments in s1 (the destruction of Romulus, the synth ban, the general darkness of the Federation) are incredibly compelling to me and i really do like deconstructing Picard as a character (even if i wish he was in the show a little less). and despite some major inconsistencies between seasons, i find the characters wonderfully rich and well written and every time i watch an episode, i feel like i want to explore them more and more. (not coincidentally, it's also the Star Trek show i've written the most fanfic for.)

1. Voyager: Voyager has enthralled me mind, body, & soul. i've never had such a fast turn around from a show that i was meh about to one that constantly consumed my thoughts. it's undoubtedly imperfect but it's imperfect in a way that i feel compelled to want to study and fix. with the exception of maybe DS9, Voyager has the strongest cast of characters and one of the strongest premises of any show. i firmly believe that Kathryn Janeway is the best (and certainly my favorite) Captain in all of Star Trek and most of the characters rank among my favorite Trek characters of all time. even if there aren't a ton of obvious ongoing narratives, the subtle ways the characters change over the 7 years is great and leaves the door open for fandom to explore so much (which as you can tell is definitely something that draws me to a lot of shows). and while DS9 might have my favorite episode of Star Trek, Voyager ends up having more stories that rank amongst my favorites (Year of Hell, Latent Image, Endgame, Barge of the Dead, Bride of Chaotica, Riddles, Survival Instinct, Timeless, etc).

anyways.... that sums that up. i'll probably type up my list of favorite episodes sometime in the next few days because i need to milk the "i watched all of Star Trek" thing for a little bit.

#i wrote most of this while having a migraine so sorry if there are typos or anything #i think if i posted this review on any other website i might actually be hunted down for sport #my posts #my reviews

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ruthlesslistener · 1 year ago

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So, you get asked about PK and WL a lot, in part because you're realistic about them being nuanced. I've rarely ever seen folks ask you about the Radiance, though, even you've mentioned you give her the same treatment. So, you got any headcanons, heartcanons, and gutcanons for her? Feel free to do as many as you want!

Okay so I long forgot the headcanon, heartcanon, gutcanon ask template because I've been chewing on this since [checks date] September 5th 2020, so instead you get a long ramble on the Radiance vs individual hcs for her since I don't really talk about her as much as I do the pale fam

Radiance...hm. She's a very complex character who frightens me on some personal levels, but I really am quite fond of her reguardless, because part of what scares me about her is how closely her anger mirrors my own (and that of my immidiate family). She reminds me very much of the aspects of myself and a few choice individuals in my blood relations that I do my best to avoid, rather than have a delight of a time pointing and laughing at, like I do with the flaws of myself I see in the Pale King. Except Radiance doesn't just have those flaws, she's also got the added Christian crusader imagery that decrees the death of anyone who opposes her that also reminds me quite a bit about certain things in my life I'd very much rather go without (I was raised Muslim. I'm sure you can connect the dots). So there is a level of discomfort there that keeps me from engaging with her character on the same level that I do with Hollow and the Pale King, which is something that I am sure many Radiance fans feel in turn about PK himself. No judgement there.

But that's personal, so I'm not going to get into it. Just putting a note of it here because it does very much influence how I write her.

The Radiance is someone who is, at her core, very very lonely, and is also fundamentally afraid of being lonely. She is Grimm's twin in my headcanon (or, as much as one can be a twin when you were both divinely spawned from the same event), but Grimm is also her opposite, and so he never really did much other than highlight how deeply different she was from the only ever person that she knew. They were spawned in a place outside of Hallownest, in the creation of the Dream Realm where there was nothing around them but other hungry Higher Beings grasping for power, and that in turn did little other than prove to her that the whole world was against her and that the only way that she could persist was to eliminate all threats to herself before they had a chance to attack her first (Grimm, on the other hand, was fascinated by death and the play of power among power-hungry gods, and was much more inclined to observe until they clearly became a threat to him, ao that he could learn from them first. This difference is something that lead to the schism between the realms).

She is an extremely emotional person, acting on raw passion before all else- but that's because being rawly emotional never let her down in the past. How could it, when her fury burned with the force of a thousand stars, and incinerated all that dared threaten her? And how could she be anything but furious, when she had nothing but proof that the whole world conspired against her, and it was her burning rage that beat back the darkness of the cold, unfeeling Void, the one thing that could destroy her and her sibling? She was not always angry- more often than not, she was lonely, wanting nothing more than something to care for and protect- but anger served her well and so it became her first line of defense against anything that threatened her, and she was always right because nothing bad had ever come of her in the past.

(This is because she killed most things that she feared before they had a chance to move against her. The utter destruction of the Void Civilization was one such occurrence, happening after she had settled in Hallownest, created the moths, and deemed those who worshiped the dark below as a threat to both her and her newborn children.) I also believe that the Moths were created just before or right after the schism between her and Grimm, her barely-younger brother; because if he would not listen to her and allow her to care for him and be her family, then she would simply make one of her own, a family that she could dote on and adore and had no choice but to love her. And while she very much drove that schism, it was still a betrayal that stung her to the very core. He was her brother! He was supposed to agree with her, to love her and listen to her! She only ever tried to protect him, so what does it mean for him to defy her? That he doesn't actually love her after all, and that if she truly desires a family of her own, she must make it herself. One that will actually love her. One that will not defy her.

So, to recap: the Radiance is a fundamentally lonely person. But she is also fundamentally a very, very fearful person, to the point of overwhelming paranoia. And she grew up in an environment where this paranoia was not only unchecked, but encouraged.

This is what lead to her overcontrolling nature- because when she was able to control everything, she was able to see all of the problems before they became too hard to control, and thus eliminate them from the very start. I headcanon that the bugs of Hallownest had no free will under her control, but it wasn't the same as the malicious infection that we see in-game; it was genuinely because she cared, to the point where she had to look through a thousand eyes and ten thousand minds in order to nurture her kingdom the way she thought was best. She didn't kill all of the Void Civilization- the beetles persisted, as we saw- but she had to control them anyways, to wipe their minds of what she did and to prevent dissent. The Moths had a level of freedom that the others did not, but this was only because she created them and placed them first before all other bugs, and so thought that they would never have a reason to dissent against her. Why care for freedom when you can have security, after all? She never once in a million years thought that they would betray her for the Pale King, because she never once in a million years ever thought that anyone could ever want something like freedom in exchange for an uncertain, self-made future. It's too risky, too dangerous. Too lonely.

(This is also why I headcanon that the moth civilization collapsed after they abandoned Radi- they had been coddled for so long that they had no notion of independence, and thus could not survive on their own in a civilization that made itself with free will. This absolutely does not excuse PK of potentially being involved in their downfall, because I do think he played a huge part in it, but it does account for their diminishing numbers without any indication of physical genocide. I've seen some think that they were hit the first and the hardest by the Infection but I don't believe that Radi, even with her vengeful qualities, would have done that-or if she did, then Seer made no mention of it, likely because of her tribe's guilt about bringing back the Radiance even if it isn't their fault.)

(Part of this headcanon also ties into another hc I have about Radi, which was that she was very involved in her rule and would answer to almost every prayer- including ones that involved illness or injury. If you prayed for the sickness to go away, then she would answer the call and abolish it. The Moths got first treatment, because they as her children knew exactly how to call her, but this also meant that when they switched to PK's rule where he advocated for independence and self-sufficiency based on problem solving, they suffered far more than the others who had to reply on learning their own medical care when Radi was too busy to hear their prayers)

That's not to say that Radiance was a bad ruler by any means, but we do know that she and PK are opposites, and we have records of how distant he was from his civilization, which indicates that Radiance was deeply involved by contrast- likely suffocatingly so. That's part of why I love to play with her and Grimm being siblings, to be honest, because he acts as a sort of neutral zone between the Pale King's style of ruling (by almost zero personal involvement) compared to the Radiance's obsessive control- he holds power over those under his command, but he also relinquishes that power when they fight back, and makes the break from the trope relatively stressless by wiping their memories and leaving them with a defensive charm (if Carefree Melody is any indicator). Likely this is because Grimm is a scavenger-god who has seen how many a kingdom has fallen to ruin, but I can also imagine how an exposure to the Radiance would have encouraged him to give his people more freedom of will while also continuing to engage with them at all, which the Pale King didn't do. But that's a Grimm tangent right there- the point is that I do believe the Radiance did everything out of a love for her people.

The problem is just that emotions are her fatal flaw, and when they don't suffocate, they burn. We know that she isn't just pure emotion made manifest- she's an insidious manipulator, and quite skilled at it, too. She didn't win over the Traitor Lord or break the minds of the bugs of Hallownest through sheer force alone (though I'm sure she had to in some cases...like the Hollow Knight). But everytime she makes a bad decision, it's because her emotions got the best of her. She is the inverse to the Pale King, whose fatal flaw was that his logic blinded him to the emotions he felt towards his children, and to realizing the Vessel Plan was doomed until it is far too late. She got herself to where she was by blazing forth in a fit of fury, and turning the hurricane of her betrayal into a punishment that the entirety of Hallownest got caught up in, whether they were innocent or not. She wormed her way into the minds of those who listened to her and brutally slaughtered the rest. She might have had some justification at first, when she was clawing desperately out of the dark of near-death, but that justification was snuffed out quick. Her anger is brutal, grotesque, vengeful, and all-encompassing. She hates you, the player character, Little Ghost, for what you represent and who you are, and she hunts you relentlessly, using the corpses of the friends and siblings she's killed to try to murder you. But it's not just self-defense: it's hatred. When Ghost challenges her in the Dream Realm, she didn't have to answer, but she did. Because she is fury incarnate, and she will not suffer the mockery of the void-tainted scion of her enemy.

She might have been a benevolent goddess once, but no longer. She's beautiful and majestic. She's also a genocidal monster. Her actions have justification, for they were self-defense and retribution for her betrayal- until she began to destroy the lives of innocents in her hunger for power. She's a complex character, a sympathetic one even, and is even more terrible for it.

So yeah, she scares me, even though I love her. But can you really blame me?

#hollow knight #hollow knight headcanons #the radiance #anon #reply #long post

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marlo-noni · 7 days ago

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10 more Liu Yuning songs I love

Note: this is part 2. For part 1, go here.

Ask Heaven (天问), 2021 OST opening theme song for Word of Honor Why it's good: this is probably the first Liu Yuning song I heard (without knowing who he was), since I watched Word of Honor when it came out on Netflix. To me, this is the song that proves Liu Yuning is the best there is at wuxia/jianghu songs. Also, I think even non-Chinese speakers can hear how every single line rhymes at the end (ending in "ao").

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2. When I Met You (当遇见你), 2020 OST closing credits song for Skate Into Love Why it's good: this is different from any other Liu Yuning song I've heard - almost unbearably cute and sweet. I first heard it when I watched Skate Into Love, and I was really surprised to discover later on that this was him. I really like the vocal flourishes. This shows off another side of him and another set of his skills.

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3. Looking for You (寻一个你), 2022 OST love theme for Love Between Fairy and Devil Why it's good: another song I loved before knowing Liu Yuning sang it. I think this it's fairly universally agreed that this is one of his best OSTs.

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4. Promise (如约), 2019 Why it's good: it's quiet, contemplative, and philosophical. One of those sad-sounding songs that recognizes the humanity in everyone. It's just really moving.

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5. Love at First Sight (一爱如故), 2021 OST love theme song for Hao Du and Leyan in The Long Ballad Why it's good: it's Hao Du and Leyan's song! Plus, it's super dramatic and he sounds great when he gets into his high range at the climax.

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6. I Wish (惟愿), 2024 OST closing credits song for The Story of Pearl Girl Why it's good: it's Duan Wu and Yan Zijing's song! Plus, I love that it starts out so low at the beginning and slowly ascends. His voice is beautiful in this song. I never skip the closing credits when I'm watching this drama.

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7. Destiny (造化), 2021 OST character song for Wei Wuxian in the Mo Dao Zu Shi donghua series Why it's good: such an interesting composition - really unusual melody. Love the orchestra behind it, too. Liu Yuning said recording this song almost killed him, it was so difficult to sing. He pulled it off, though, and it sounds great!

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8. Born to Die (向死而生), 2024 OST for Burning Flames Why it's good: another one that shows off his vocal skills really well. He said singing it made him feel 一点儿想死 ("a little like dying," a pun on the title), so it's another difficult song he pulled off!

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9. Heritage (传承), 2021 promotional song for the Palace Museum Why it's good: really nice gufeng (traditional Chinese motif/style) song where he uses at bit of pseudo-Chinese opera falsetto (starts at about 0:45).

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10. Till the End (啊默契), 2019 Why it's good: another Liu Yuning classic rocking climax. I just love it when he rocks out! Plus, if you want to watch him laying on the beach with waves crashing over him, check out the MV (about 3:18)!

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#liu yuning #刘宇宁 #Youtube

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snippychicke · 7 months ago

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Since starting my journey of self care back in like, 2020, I finally have all my cavities fixed! Yes, it took 4 years to fix like, 13-15 cavities (which also included 1 root canal, 4 wisdom teeth removal, plus a regular tooth extraction.)

Because dental insurance has a yearly max and dental work is expensive.

I still need at least 1 crown, if not 2, but they will have to wait until next year.

You may ask how I got so bad. Well, poor dental hygine as a kid, worse as a teen, very rare trips to the dentist who only berated me ao I had anxiety going back.

It took the work of two amazing dentists who did their best *not* to lecture me when giving tips about dental care. And also my new dentist has a neat suction dam thing so I don't have to taste the bits of tooth, blood, and whatever else.

Also, headphones with music and they gave me stress balls to hold/play with.

My mouth is still fucked up and I dislike my smile, but short of having facial reconstruction where they break my lower jaw and my maxilla to fix the mismatched alignment (no, braces aren't gonna cut this overbite), that ain't going to change.

But I wanted to be healthy, not beautiful. One does not equal the other.

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ranatsume · 10 months ago

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2.6.24

Cym. Pandora Glade 'Woodside Pink' AM/AOS

So last weekend I participated in the gold coast cymbidium society auction and I won 3 orchids! This division was entered by Pierre Pujol, whose mother plant was Awarded Best Cymbidium at the 2020 Pacific Orchid Exposition Show. It’s in spike, so I hope that it blooms in March or April. Posted below is a picture shot by Pierre himself, for reference:

#orchid #蘭 #蘭集め #cymbidium #Pandora Glade 'Woodside Pink' AM/AOS #spike #golden coast auction #pierre pujol

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a-swiss-and-a-spaniard · 1 year ago

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Hi darling! For the ask game 2, 8, 9, 15, 24 💜💜

Hi Toni, thanks for the numbers! 💙

2. which player would you think you'd be best friends with upon first meeting?

I think Domi. I'm an introvert, so it takes me a while to warm up to people, but he seems easy to talk to. He's smart and loves nature and I'm a biologist, so we could gush about random animal facts. I bet he would be an amazing hiking buddy as well! I was also a fan of boybands at one point, so he can blast his playlist during car rides and I would actually sing along. Plus I could learn some Austrian slang from him, which would be fun

8. which tournament has the prettiest trophy?

I prefer simple, clean designs, so my favorites are Shanghai, Paris and Miami

But I’m also in love with the pretty colors of the Los Cabos trophy

And it always cracks me up to think about it in Meddy's trophy jail lol

9. who's your favourite retired player?

I mean, I MEAN… don't know if you've heard about this Swiss man(? He had a quite prolific career; won a few Masters, got 20 Grand Slams, and went on to play his last match alongside his biggest rival. He appears smooth and suave, but he's a goofball at heart and turns into a giggling mess whenever Rafa is around(? Yeah, he'll always be my all time favorite

15. a new player you would want to succeed in the future?

I guess Ben Shelton seems nice(? Tbh I haven't followed him much but he gives off puppy energy (Fisher called him a border collie and I think that's accurate).

I haven't really gotten attached to new players other than Andrey, but he's not exactly 'new’ anymore lol

24. favourite match outfit?

Depends on the player, of course, but I will always love Rafa's sleeveless shirts. Particularly the bright pink one form AO 2020 <3

!!! But also: all-black looks 🔥

#ask game #tennis #yes I added pictures for reference #yes it was mostly an excuse to look through my tennis album lol

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almaadst · 2 years ago

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for the artist ask: 2, 4, 5, 8, 14, and 17~ :3c

@andeborg Billy my sweetheart! <3 Thank you for your questions and patience 🙏(But like they say "save best for the last" <3) Although most of the questions I already answered here: 2, 5, 8, 17) but here are the other two:

4. Favourite things to draw?

That's a tough question actually! I think it will be female faces and female bodies overall and long hair 'cos I love making them nice shapes '3'

14. How has your art changed over the years?

That will be fun to answer! I have to open the folder with my old art and I will show you! '3'

<2010 I started my drawing journay with drawing animals like lions/wolfs I tried imitating "Lion King" style but I do not have any artwork from this time ;; But I have artworks from 2012 which I think I was quite good already (*￣∀￣) Here it is, my lioness OCs: Xena and Hexa! (daughter and mother)

2011 (left) - I started drawing humans (manga style) after watching Pandora Hearts anime. Anatomy was really wanky - I clearly didn't know how to properly draw the shoulder/chest area, the clothes design was "edgy" 'cos I was 14yo lol, and of course, I was hiding hands 'cos I couldn't draw them all! And I didn't have a graphic tablet back then so all was traditionally made with crayons. I mostly drew character designs and my OCs, here is Alex.

2012 (right) - I already got a tablet and I was making digital drawings. I had the courage to try drawing hands, but the whole silhouette was really long and thin, and I was afraid to put more decent shadows but I started doing a little background.

2013 (left) -I was making more complex pieces but I didn't know shit about perspective and composition lol

2014 (right) - It was definitely a "gap year" in my art life I didn't draw much back then but definitely, I started using photo references to improve my artwork

2015 - 100% art block year ;; I stopped drawing, using DeviantArt, and just quit for a while

2016 - I was drawing again thanks to Metal Gear Solid games - It was the first time I was so involved to draw fan art (before I was worried that "my ugly art style will ruin my beloved characters" lol) and I made Tumblr account for it!

2017 (left) - Was completely dedicated to Ao no Exorcist manga, it help me make art again and enjoy M&A again but I stopped drawing my OCs thou I practiced more while doing study characters, sketching more, teaching myself from YouTube, etc

2018 (right) - Here I was switching to My Hero Academia fandom but also I was making fan arts/ crossovers for different shows and I was improving my coloring/shading style etc and started making commissions

2019 (left) - Burnout year again;; I was drawing VERY little and mostly it was sketches for series I watched

2020 (right) - I decided to come back to drawing and open commission - I was doing mostly My Hero academia commissions and thanks to that I seriously started working on my background in artwork and my skill overall and I think it was a time when I realized that drawing come very easy that I had a certain level/skill which made less frustration about how and what I drew

2021 > I mostly focused on commission and improving my artwork!

That was a long post but so fun to make and reflect a little bit! Thank you to all people who sent me asks! I was really supries how many itwas (that's why I took me so long! ;;) I will do it againg in the future for sure! but maybe with questions made by me? who knows! (*￣∀￣)

Love you all, Alex 🌷

#alex here #ask game #artist ask game #Favourite things to draw?#female faces #female bodies #hair #How has your art changed over the years?#lions #lion king #manga #anime #art progress #art growth #art style change #my art #almaadst

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fanishjuli · 1 year ago

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20 questions for fic writers

Thank you babe for the tag <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 62 works posted on ao3 (although some are anonymous and some are not fics but original stuff).

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

131,372 words.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Many, lol. The fandom I have the most fics posted is Sherlock (BBC). The second is Good Omens (and also the fandom I have the most WIPs for). I have also posted fics for the MCU, Star Trek (TOS, AOS, TNG, DSC), the TAZ podcast, DC/Batman, OFMD and, most recently, X-Men.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

#1 in all statistics, by a wide margin of difference, is Gotham Online, my DC/Batman social media AU fic, with 3,033 kudos. Second, with 479 kudos is Epiphanies at dawn, my OFMD Izzy/Stede Steddyhands fic; I'm relaly proud of this one actually. Then there's Surprising and unexpected (Star Trek), then There's No Truth Like Home (Sherlock) and fifth is Seeking Knowledge (Good Omens).

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! I like replying to comments.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Um, none? I don't write much angst, and when I do it always has a happy ending. Probably the angstiest fic I wrote is In your precense I trust, my last Good Omens fic where Crowley has a shit day and seeks out Aziraphale for some comfort. But it doesn't have an angsty ending at all.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Literally all of them? Most of them have very soft endings because that's what I love.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope. I think I got some weird comments a couple of times? But no. And if I did I deleted them and forgot about them lol.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I haven't posted any smut, yet. I have two (...three? Can't recall) smut WIPs, one OFMD that's almost finished and needs editing (although I haven't touched it in months lol) and one Good Omens one as well that is significantly more incomplete.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I don't? I have had a few ideas for crossovers, and I even started writing a couple, but none I've worked on in a while. The craziest one is a Good Omens/Los Simuladores (Argentina) crossover; I had the idead with @two-hands-toward-the-sun and they actually wrote a fic about it, every morning the same big and little words all spelling out desire. It's very good and you should read it.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope. Not to my knowledge at least, I hope not.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yeah! I translated a few of my own fics (from english to spanish and spanish to english) and I had several of my Sherlock fics translated to russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yup, Obsession is a Sherlock fic I co-wrote with @0therainbowmind0 during late 2019/early 2020.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Something you need to know about me: I am terribly indecisive. I don't have favourite anythings because I can never choose and my asnwers change constantly. So, at the moment and for the past couple years my favourite ship, or at elast the one I keep returning to, has been Good Omens' Aziraphale/Crowley. Although, at this very moment, as in, the day I'm writing this and for the past week or so, I have also been very much into X-Men's Charles/Erik.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Hard question! I don't like posting WIPs, so I almost always wait until I have completed a story before posting it. The only exception is Gotham Online. I would like to finish that fic sometime, although there's not much plotline, I would simply like to continue it because I have many ideas. One other fic I would like to finish but I am not certain I will is my "Heaven's Prayers Department" Good Omens WIP, where some angels in heaven hear Crowley's prayers through the millenia.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think probably writing dialogue is what I'm best at. I'm good at it, even though sometimes I may struggle to properly get a character's voice.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptions, I really struggle with them in general. I'm bad at describing places, clothes, everything. Ambientation is not my thing.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

It's fine? I don't know; I don't do it. The only time I did was in my Good Omens' spanish pet names fic, which to be fair, I wrote originally in spanish (Los nombres del amor) and later translated to english (The names of love). In the translation I kept the pet names untranslated, as they were the entire point of the fic.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I don't remember if I ever actually wrote or just daydreamed and maybe, at most, wrote down a handful of ideas as a bulletpoint list, but if we count that then it was, embarrassingly enough, for the Spanish gamer youtubers fandom circa ~2016. But the first fandom I actually wrote for was Sherlock. Or maybe MCU? I don't remember which one I wrote for first but the first fic I ever posted was a Sherlock one.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Oh fuck. This is literally so hard to choose. I think my favourite Good Omens fic is the previously named In your precense I trust or Lavender Suits You, which I wrote for the Ineffable Butch Wives Week last year. Other favourites I really loved writing and also enjoy rereading are: Crush, a TAZ fic written for the Blupjeans Week 2021; Joanna McCoy's Week In Space, written for the Spones Reverse Big Bang 2020-21; my previously mentioned OFMD fic, Epiphanies at dawn; and my most recent fic, age with all its ailing brings blessings, I believe, which is an X-Men fic and the first part of the old men cherik series. The second part of the series is finish and already half edited, and I started writing the third (and probably final) part.

Honestly if anyone wants to do this, consider yourself tagged. It was very fun XD

#fic rec #my fic #my fics #my fic rec #tag game

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schumi-nadal · 1 year ago

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heyyy 20, 22 and 24 for the tennis ask :)

Hello there 💞

20. Best smile?

I already answered to this one but I will never get tired of saying Rafa 🥰

22. What was the happiest you felt when watching a match?

Already answered to this one too but there are so many moment moments I felt happy: AO final in 2022 is my favorite recent match, RG final 2022 too with papa Rafa and baby Casper, the US Open final in 2020 was so powerful (oh Domi, I miss you 😪), etc.

24. Favorite match outfit?

THIS ONE 100% 💖💖💖

#thank you for asking sweetie 💞#btw we still need to talk about your fedal fic we talked about some months ago 🤭#tennis game #ask game #casper ruud #rafael nadal #dominic thiem #tennis

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ebriisims · 2 years ago

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NOT SO BERRY (2022)

O desafio not so berry originalmente foi criado pela @lilsimsie, popularizando na comunidade outras versões foram surgindo e a mais recente é a da @simqueen8 criado em 2020, incluindo as expansões e novos pacotes do The sims 4, traduzida por @maluandtheplumbobs.

Pensando nisso resolvi recriar com algumas pequenas alterações, como profissões e aspirações. Aconselhada para quem tem todas as expansões lançadas até dezembro de 2022.

Os links das versões originais, quais me inspirei estará no final do post.

Lembra-se que essa versão tem base na tradução da @maluandtheplumbobs de Not so Berry 2.0.

NOT SO BERRY

Regras básicas:

Cada herdeiro (primeiro filho) representa a cor da geração, com cabelo, roupas, maquiagens e o que mais achar necessário.

Apenas o cheat "freerealestate" é permitido ao iniciar o desafio para a compra da primeira casa.

Todas as gerações devem completar os objetivos da aspiração e carreira, a não ser que seja dito especificamente o contrário.

Geração 01: Verde Menta

Você é uma pescadora e cientista apaixonada pela cor verde menta. Sua carreira está decolando, mas ainda gosta de passar seu tempo livre pescando. Acontece que você também ama o luxo, e isso é diretamente refletido no seu estilo e na sua casa.

Traços: Adora o ar livre, ciumenta e Materialista.

Aspiração: As de pesca.

Profissão: Cientista.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de cientista.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de pesca.

Construir um foguete e visitar sixan.

Comprar uma casa no valor de 75.000$.

Ter um(a) filho(a) com traço irritável.

Se tornar amiga de um alienígena.

Geração 02: Rosa Vermelha

Você teve tudo o que desejava desde criança, mas sempre quis mais, focada em sua profissão não teve tempo para aprofundar suas relações. Como adulta, sua maior prioridade é encontrar sua alma gêmea. Sem nenhum instinto maternal, ama sua/seu filha(o) com todo o coração.

Traços: Segura de si, esnobe e perfeccionista.

Aspiração: Alma gêmea.

Profissão: Advogado.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de advogada.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de pesquisas e debates.

Ter apenas um(a) filho(a).

Fazer oba oba em 10 lugares diferente.

Casar e se divorciar antes de por fim casar com sua alma gêmea.

Geração 03: Mar Amarelo

Crescendo, você nunca teve uma relação muito próxima com sua mãe, e passou a maior parte do seu tempo sozinha no seu quarto, obcecada pelo oceano. Você realmente ama o oceano e fará qualquer coisa para morar em Sulani, custe o que custar.

Traços: Filha do oceano, solitária e ambiciosa.

Aspiração: Vida na praia.

Profissão: Conservacionista.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de conservacionista.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de ginástica e lógica.

Casar com um(a) morador(a) de Sulani.

Comprar a casa do sonho em Sulani.

Ter uma boa relação com a sua avó da geração 1 (verde menta), até que ela morra.

Geração 04: Roxo Ameixa

Você sempre sentiu que era diferente. Enquanto o resto de sua família passava a maior parte do tempo no oceano, você só queria organizar festas. Para compensar o relação péssima que teve com seus pais, você quer estar o máximo de tempo possível com seus filhos.

Traços: Extrovertida, Ativa e Relaxada.

Aspiração: Grande festeira.

Profissão: Atleta.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de Atleta.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de qualquer esporte.

Fazer algo especial com sua família aos domingo.

Ser bom amigo de todos os seus filhos

Ter três relações que falharam (ex-namorados) antes de achar o cônjuge, que deve ter o traço de asseado.

Geração 05: Cinza Prata

Você sempre foi bom em tudo o que tentou. É difícil escolher uma carreira, na verdade, a única coisa realmente consistente na sua vida é seu amor e fascinação pela escrita. Entre rascunhos e gatos você é uma grande indecisa.

Traços: Amante da arte, criativo e gênio.

Aspiração: Autora best seller.

Profissão: Negócios.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível 5 da profissão de negócios.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de escrita.

Casar com um(a) veterinário(a).

Ter filhos gêmeos antes de morrer.

Ter dois gatos.

Se divorciar e depois voltar a casar com o mesmo sim.

Geração 06: Laranja Lima

Você é a ovelha negra da família e foi criada em um ambiente muito ético. Você sempre quis provocar o caos, mas não dá pra dizer que você é realmente maligna. Se mudou para San Myshuno a trabalho, ama comer e gasta a maior parte do seu tempo comendo doces.

Traços: Segura de si, maldosa e glutona.

Aspiração: Nativa da cidade.

Profissão: Professora.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de Professora.

Completar a habilidade de confeitaria e travessura.

Ter um(a) filho(a) vampiro(a) fora do casamento em uma noite.

Morar em um apartamento na vida jovem adulta.

Conhecer sua alma gêmea no ensino médio e casa-se com ele(a).

Geração 07: Preto Sangue

Você nasceu de um acidente. Para muitos, isso era algo abalador, mas não pra você. Apesar de sua mãe só fingir que te ama, você ainda se sente incrível, porque há algo de diferente dentro de si e nada melhor do que ser uma criminosa para provocar o destino.

Traços: Cabeça quente, ativa e Cleptomaniaca.

Profissão: Criminosa.

Aspiração: Mestre vampira.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de Criminosa.

Ter no mínimo 5 inimigos durante a vida.

Se tornar uma vampira muito poderosa.

Ter uma filho(a) vampiro(a).

Não manter uma relação com os pais após sair de casa.

Se beneficiar das vantagens providas pelo vampirismo.

Geração 08: Azul Marinho

Você se sente um mostro por ser o que é. Apesar de sua mãe tentar te mostrar como é incrível ser uma vampira, você detesta e quer se tornar humana a qualquer custo. Sua paixão pelos animais e pelas plantas são as únicas coisas que te mantém sã na busca pela cura.

Traços: Bondosa, asseado e criativa.

Aspiração: Botânica autônoma.

Profissão: Médica Veterinária.

Desafios:

Atingir o nível máximo da profissão de Veterinária.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de jardinagem.

Encontrar a cura e ter um(a) filho(a) humano(a).

Ter uma clínica veterinária.

Completar a coleção de jardinagem.

Não se beneficiar das vantagens do vampirismo.

Geração 09: Rosa Fosco

Sua mãe sempre lhe falou sobre seguir seus sonhos e você sempre sonhou em ser fazendeira e fazer a diferença na agronomia. Ser vegetariana e morar em uma fazenda parece ser uma tortura, mas você está disposta a encarar esse desafio em nome do amor.:

Traços: fã dos animais, vegetariana e alegre.

Aspiração: Cuidador do campo.

Profissão: Fazendeira.

Obs: Aqui não terá profissão, deve vender tudo que for coletado na fazenda e feito pelo próprio sim.

Desafios:

Realizar o máximo possível de desejos do sim.

Alcançar o nível máximo da habilidade de ponto-cruz.

Casar-se com alguém que já tem filhos

Guardar 75.000$. para seu herdeiro(a).

Viver só de coisas da fazenda, menos carne.

Ter um cachorro e um gato; fora os animais da fazenda.

Geração 10: Gelo Branco

Você é uma amante da arte apaixonada pelo cor branca. Diferente de sua mãe escolheu se formar na universidade e levar uma vida longe do campo e bichos. apegada aos seus antepassados e melancólica a morte nunca será o fim para você e para sua alma.

Traços: Amante da arte, comunicativa e Criativa.

Aspiração: Pintor extraordinário.

Profissão: Artista.

Obs: Aqui o foco é na universidade, portanto viverá apenas do dinheiro das vendas de quadros.

Desafios:

Conseguir a bolsa e se formar em Belas-artes.

Alcançar o nível 10 em pintura.

Ter no mínimo 5 melhores amigos.

Conhecer sua alma gêmea na universidade.

Adotar uma criança.

Criar uma sala com foto de todas as gerações.

Morrer após concluir as tarefas a cima.

..... Sim, o fim do desafio é a morte!

Deixo aqui os créditos às criadoras @lilsimsie e @simqueen8. Também a tradutora @maluandtheplumbobs.

Para versão inglês do desafio acesse aqui.

Pretendo trazer as minhas modificações dos demais desafios, então me siga para se divertir com the sims 4. Bjs!

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