History YMMV / PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice

** At the end of “Turnabout Revolution”, you learn that Trucy hid in Edgeworth’s suitcase and smuggled herself into Khura’in alongside the rest of the cast. This could’ve allowed for her to assist in Apollo’s investigations there like she did in the fourth game, as well as meet and interact with his foster family members and the other characters from Khura’in. Rather than take advantage of these opportunities, though, the game doesn’t reveal that she’s there until after the conclusion of the final trial, seemingly just so [[spoiler:she can be present to say goodbye to Apollo when he decides not to return to the U.S.]] It’s never explained what she was up to in the intervening time, and she has no meaningful interactions with Nahyuta, Rayfa, or anyone else.

** At the end of “Turnabout Revolution”, you learn that Trucy hid in Edgeworth’s suitcase and smuggled herself into Khura’in alongside the rest of the cast. This could’ve allowed for her to assist in Apollo’s investigations there like she did in the fourth game, as well as meet and interact with his foster family members and the other characters from Khura’in. Rather than take advantage of these opportunities, though, the game doesn’t reveal that she’s there until after the conclusion of the final trial. It’s never explained what she was up to in the intervening time, and she has no meaningful interactions with Nahyuta, Rayfa, or anyone else.

** Uendo Toneido is a fairly positive portrayal (though basic) of mental illnesses such as [[ShownTheirWork Dissociative Identity Disorder]] -- but out of Uendo's alters, [[spoiler:Owen has the most fans thanks to being such a sweet boy with the most ''adorable'' scared face when hiding in Uendo's cloak]]. [[NiceGuy There's also his cooperative disposition (at least compared to past witnesses)]] and [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} his weird factor]].

** [[spoiler:Datz Are'bal's Psyche Locks are not particularly challenging but it's executed in such a great way that makes you really feel like you're fighting to prove your ideals. And the last lock being destroyed by presenting the Attorney's Badge gave players chills in the best way possible.]]

** In addition, when Blackquill steps in to assist Athena, it's extremely satisfying to hear his trademark "[[SilenceYouFool SILENCE!]]" directed at Sahdmadhi.

** Pierce Nichody is the seemingly helpful butler of the Sprocket Household. At first, he seems to only be executing the wishes of Sorin Sprocket's parents, it later turns out he's a surgeon, and had a hidden agenda. Wanting revenge on Sorin and his fiancée Ellen, for the loss of his fiancée, Nichody kicks up a framing plot that involved the usage of false time travel, Pierce organized a near perfect operation, to get both Sorin and Ellen confessing to the crime of murdering Dumas Gloomsbury, Pierce's co-conspirator. Despite insulting the judge and attorneys when cornered as well as bribing them with the company's wealth, Pierce still has a distinct kinder side to him in that he realizes albeit too late that [[TheLostLenore Selena]] would not have wanted him to take revenge and is a surprisingly helpful witness despite being the killer. After admitting his guilt, Pierce's [[TragicKeepsake pocketwatch]] begins to function once more, thus giving him a rather tragic arrest. He even refuses to talk unless directly questioned knowing very well of Phoenix's tactics.

* MagnificentBastard: [[spoiler:[[AntiVillain Tahrust Inmee]] is a member of the Defiant Dragon and a high priest in khura'in. After finding out his wife murdered Rheel Nehmu out of self-defense he staged a plan to defend her by committing suicide pinning the blaming on Maya and the identity of Lady Kee'ra using the divination sense as an advantage thanks to the DDC Act. After Phoenix finds the entire truth about his death and the murder of Nehmu, Inmee confesses his crimes before bidding farewell to his wife in the Twilight Realm.]]

** [[spoiler:Pees'lubn Andistan'dhin is a memorable StarterVillain due to incorporating music into his testimonies and being challenging yet forgiving, easing people into the game's tone and mechanics. He's also fun to cross examine due to his charismatic presence.]]

* MagnificentBastard: The culprit of the DLC case. [[spoiler:Pierce Nichody is the seemingly helpful butler of the Sprocket Household. At first, he seems to only be executing the wishes of Sorin Sprocket's parents, it later turns out he's a surgeon, and had a hidden agenda. Wanting revenge on Sorin and his fiancée Ellen, for the loss of his fiancée, Nichody kicks up a framing plot that involved the usage of false time travel, Pierce organized a near perfect operation, to get both Sorin and Ellen confessing to the crime of murdering Dumas Gloomsbury, Pierce's co-conspirator. Despite insulting the judge and attorneys when cornered as well as bribing them with the company's wealth, Pierce still has a distinct kinder side to him in that he realizes, albeit too late, that [[TheLostLenore Selena]] would not have wanted him to take revenge and is a surprisingly helpful witness despite being the killer. After admitting his guilt, Pierce's [[TragicKeepsake pocketwatch]] begins to function once more, thus giving him a rather tragic arrest. He even refuses to talk unless directly questioned knowing very well of Phoenix's tactics.]]

** Given the Khura'in culture regarding the Divination Séance as infallible and conclusive due to it being what the dead witnessed, the game had the opportunity to tie this matter with the original trilogy's two cases (the DL-6 Incident and the Misty Fey murder case) where the dead either didn't witness what killed them or are unwilling to tell the truth, to bring up the point that the Séance alone can't be relied on to get the right verdict. This potential ContinuityNod isn't mentioned even ''once''.

** The culprit of "Turnabout Storyteller" [[spoiler:Geiru Toneido]] is intended as a TragicVillain who ended up horrifically remorseful over the murder she committed, and whom even Simon shows sympathy for after their arrest. Many fans don't agree, as [[spoiler:she ended up murdering her master and framing Uendo for reasons that seem ''incredibly'' petty to many people, given that even she admits she didn't have nearly enough talent to inherit her late father's title, yet ''still'' went through with a murder plan out of bitterness towards Uendo being given it over her. This is made worse by how her plan specifically framed Owen, a ''literal child'', yet never once is she called out on this in any way.]]

* CommonKnowledge: It’s often assumed that Phoenix kept [[spoiler:Maya’s hostage situation]] a secret from his friends during the last case, which invalidates the lessons he learned from [[folder:case 4 of ''Justice for All'' about relying on his friends for help in those circumstances]]. Contrary to this, Phoenix says he informed Edgeworth of the situation before coming back from Khura’in, which is why Edgeworth was spotted in Kurain Village during the investigation. Apollo was the only one Phoenix withheld the information from, [[spoiler: because he didn’t want to force Apollo to choose between Dhurke’s revolution and Maya’s life]].

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Queen Ga’ran]] is often cited as the one responsible for murdering Apollo’s father, and while it’s obvious enough on paper, it’s easy to forget that it’s never actually conclusively proven in-game. [[spoiler:Jove’s Divination Séance only provides enough evidence to clear Dhurke’s name, and Nahyuta’s and Rayfa’s, by extension]], but the only thing linking [[spoiler:Ga'ran]] to the crime is [[spoiler:the glimpse of her Justice Minister cuffs in the Séance vision]], which [[spoiler:she]] argues could have been stolen and used by the real culprit. With no other evidence available to dispute that, the investigation is forced to conclude then and there.

** Dhurke's "Objection!" is easily one of the coolest in the series thanks to his [[BadassBaritone awesomely deep and powerful voice]].

** [[spoiler:Queen Amara, in contrast of her sister is often seen as one of the best parts of the case, being an intimidating yet challenging witness to crack, as her calm demeanour and FriendToAllLivingThings being suddenly contrasted with a sudden lighting strike and GlowingEyesOfDoom. While also providing a lead up to the biggest plot twist of the game, and helping matters how she's really a [[TheHighQueen nice queen]] who was actually roped into the case just cause she really did believe in her sister's word.]]

** Nahyuta could also [[spoiler:be a Heel-case of Becoming The Mask, i.e. everything he did, he ''meant'', even if his old self would have been against it. Datz supports this interpretation, as shown by his disappointment with "Yuty" at the end of the first trial in "The Rite of Turnabout" and when talking with Phoenix in Dhurke's office. However, there is a considerable faction that see in him the signs of a domestic abuse victim, which could explain why he's such a doormat for Ga'ran. This interpretation is supported by his behavior in the fifth case suggesting he felt a level of controllable helplessness, such as his comments implying he thought of his wrongfully guilty verdicts as "inevitable" and admitting at the end that he was in too much despair to examine his own behavior. Furthermore, many see his rude behavior towards Apollo as an attempt to protect him and not tip Ga'ran off to the fact that Dhurke had another child.]] On a siller note, some interpert his {{Jerkass}} behavior to be due to jet-lag, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome since the guy has had to fly overseas and back for cases]] ''twice''.

** [[spoiler:Pierce Nichody is one of the smartest characters to appear in the series, so it makes sense he's one of the trickiest criminals. Being the first civilian to evoke his legal rights, tricks commonly used on culprits are rendered moot and it becomes an intense battle of wits against someone who is well aware of who they're up against. While his actual testimony is rather easy due to him being backed into a corner, seeing him put up a creative and unusual resistence is a memorable event that makes him a truly special opponent.]]

** Although [[spoiler: Ga'ran]] is a clear HateSink through and through, a good portion of the fandom hates them more due to how relatively weak they are compared to the other villains of the franchise. [[spoiler: Her ObviouslyEvil attire and how much the game tries to frame the fact that she's not somehow the murderer of the case (especially considering the longevity of the case) did not sit well with many fans. Adding to it, she's also not as intelligent and cunning as one would expect, making a few too many mistakes that were seen as convinient for the game to find her guilty given that she could've just not had the trial in the first place. She's usually compared to [[VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth Quercus Alba]] when discussing worst main antagonist in the franchise.]]

** The turnabout which involves Apollo facing against Phoenix led to numerous [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]] jokes, largely because of the similarity of the conflict between the heroes.

* AcceptableProfessionalTargets: Politicians. In Case 6-5, [[FirstPersonSmartass Apollo]] shows a lot of snark towards Paul Atishon stating he acts like a typical politician.

* EnsembleDarkhorse:

** Roger Retinz has managed to become popular for being an extreme HateSink TV producer who repeatedly makes things get worse during the investigation. [[spoiler:He's also an old member of Troupe Gramarye and switches from sleazy producer to over-the-top vengeful magician once exposed, and the insane complexity of his plan to get revenge on the Troupe via Trucy, which involves manipulating Trucy's fangirl apprentice and her sister, sacrificing his one true fan, and ultimately shutting down the Wright Anything Agency while getting Trucy locked up for murder, makes him simultaneously despised and loved as one of the greatest minor villains in the series]].
** Uendo Toneido is a fairly positive portrayal (though basic) of mental illnesses such as [[ShownTheirWork Dissociative Identity Disorder]] -- but out of Uendo's alters, [[spoiler:Owen has the most fans thanks to being such a sweet boy with the most ''adorable'' scared face when hiding in Uendo's cloak.]] [[NiceGuy There's also his cooperative disposition (at least compared to past witnesses)]] and [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} his weird factor]].

** Archie Buff is well liked despite being a victim with no screentime due to his selflessness and love for his daughter. Not to mention [[spoiler:being badass enough to stand up to Paul Atishon and Inga Karkhuul Khura'in by hiding the orb they have desperately been trying to obtain.]]

** Inga Karkhuul Khura'in is far more popular than his wife, being a chillingly despicable mass murderer who poses a substantial threat to Phoenix and Apollo due to his intelligence and ambition. [[spoiler:He out of all people is a loving (if terrible) parent to Rayfa, adding an unexpected layer of depth to such a monstrous man. Many fans would have rather he been the BigBad instead of his FlatCharacter of a wife.]]
** Pierce Nichody is also well liked due to [[spoiler:being a highly intelligent culprit who actually uses his profession to pull off his crime instead of it merely being an InformedAttribute. He's also a handsome and charismatic opponent with a legitimately tragic motivation.]]

* SugarWiki/BetterThanCanon: Someone edited [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mMvgqlEGHo Pursuit ~ Overtaken (Variation)]] into [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7MGU32g_9s Ga'ran's defeat]] at the hands of Apollo]], and many fans agree that that scene should have played out that way in the game.[[note]]as a nod to ''Trials and Tribulations'', which had [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU6SWlTmapk a remix of Pursuit ~ Cornered]] play over Godot's defeat at Phoenix's hands.]][[/note]]

* BetterThanCanon: Someone edited [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mMvgqlEGHo Pursuit ~ Overtaken (Variation)]] into [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7MGU32g_9s Ga'ran's defeat]] at the hands of Apollo]], and many fans agree that that scene should have played out that way in the game.[[note]]as a nod to ''Trials and Tribulations'', which had [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU6SWlTmapk a remix of Pursuit ~ Cornered]] play over Godot's defeat at Phoenix's hands.]][[/note]]

** [[spoiler:Queen Amara, in contrast of her sister is often seen as one of the best parts of the case, being an intimidating yet challenging witness to crack, as her calm demeanour and FriendToAllLivingThings being suddenly contrasted with a sudden lighting strike and GlowingEyesOfDoom. While also providing a lead up to the biggest plot tiwst of the game, and helping matters how she's really a [[TheHighQueen nice queen]] who was actually roped into the case just cause she really did believe in her sister's word.]]

** Nahyuta could also [[spoiler:be a Heel-case of Becoming The Mask, i.e. everything he did, he ''meant'', even if his old self would have been against it. Datz supports this interpretation, as shown by his disappointment with "Yuty" at the end of the first trial in "The Rite of Turnabout" and when talking with Phoenix in Dhurke's office. However, there is a considerable faction that see in him the signs of a domestic abuse victim, which could explain why he's such a doormat for Ga'ran. This interpretation is supported by his behavior in the fifth case suggesting he felt a level of controllable helplessness, such as his comments implying he thought of his wrongfully guilty verdicts as "inevitable" and admitting at the end that he was in too much despair to examine his own behavior. Furthermore, many see his rude behavior towards Apollo as an attempt to protect him and not tip Ga'ran off to the fact that Dhurke had another child.]] On a siller note, some interpert his {{Jerkass}} behavior to be due to jet-lag,[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome since the guy has had to fly overseas for cases]] ''twice''.

** Nahyuta could also [[spoiler:be a Heel-case of Becoming The Mask, i.e. everything he did, he ''meant'', even if his old self would have been against it. Datz supports this interpretation, as shown by his disappointment with "Yuty" at the end of the first trial in "The Rite of Turnabout" and when talking with Phoenix in Dhurke's office. However, there is a considerable faction that see in him the signs of a domestic abuse victim, which could explain why he's such a doormat for Ga'ran. This interpretation is supported by his behavior in the fifth case suggesting he felt a level of controllable helplessness, such as his comments implying he thought of his wrongfully guilty verdicts as "inevitable" and admitting at the end that he was in too much despair to examine his own behavior. Furthermore, many see his rude behavior towards Apollo as an attempt to protect him and not tip Ga'ran off to the fact that Dhurke had another child.]]

** Although [[spoiler: Ga'ran]] is a clear HateSink through and through, a good portion of the fandom hates [[spoiler: her]] more due to how relatively weak [[spoiler: she]] is compared to the other villains of the franchise. [[spoiler: Her ObviouslyEvil attires and how much the game tries to frame the fact that she's not somehow the murderer of the case (especially considering the longevity of the case) did not sit well with many fans. Adding to it, she's also not as intelligent and cunning as one would expect, making a few too many mistakes that were seen as convinient for the game to find her guilty given that she could've just not had the trial in the first place. She's usually compared to [[VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth Quercus Alba]] when discussing worst main antagonist in the franchise.]]

[[YMMV/AceAttorney2012 The 2012 film]] | [[YMMV/AceAttorneyAnime The anime]]]]-]]]

** [[spoiler:Jove Justice, Apollo's biological father. Other characters speak well of him and his final moments in the Divination Séance are crucial to taking down Ga'ran. However, little else beyond him being a wandering musician is revealed. He isn't channeled either, despite them having his name and face, so players never see a scene of him talking or interacting with anyone. Even the information gleaned from his final memories has nothing to do with who he was as a person, since he just happened to catch a glimpse of his killer’s hand in a reflection after falling over.]]

* CommonKnowledge: [[spoiler:Queen Ga’ran]] is often cited as the one responsible for murdering Apollo’s father, and while it’s obvious enough on paper, it’s easy to forget that it’s never actually conclusively proven in-game. [[spoiler:Jove’s Divination Séance only provides enough evidence to clear Dhurke’s name, and Nahyuta’s and Rayfa’s]], by extension, but the only thing linking [[spoiler:Ga'ran]] to the crime was [[spoiler:her Justice Minister cuffs]], which it’s argued could have been stolen and used by the real culprit.