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This page covers the original game. Take moments outside of that over to the specific ''[[Heartwarming/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney Apollo Justice]]'', ''[[Heartwarming/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth Investigations]]'', ''[[Heartwarming/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies Dual Destinies]]'', [[Heartwarming/AceAttorney2012 the 2012 film]] or [[Heartwarming/AceAttorney2016 the 2016 anime]] subpages please.
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[[folder: The First Turnabout ]]

* At the end of the trial, Phoenix points out to Larry that the late Cindy Stone [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold did have feelings for him after all]]. How so? The clock statue of "The Thinker" that Larry gave her. It's quite heavy for a clock, yet she took it overseas with her anyway.

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[[folder: Turnabout Sisters ]]

* The opening sequence is a call between Mia and her little sister Maya and the way they talk shows shows that they have a very close relationship and have a deep sisterly love between them. Unfortunately, the whole thing swerves into TearJerker territory almost immediately after.
* The lampstand that proves Redd's guilt was bought by Mia only a few days ago, probably because she wanted to commemorate her apprentice's first trial.

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[[folder: Turnabout Samurai ]]

* Will Powers really cares about the fans of the Steel Samurai, and loves what he does. He refuses to be seen in public without being in costume because he doesn't want to destroy the illusion!
* In the 3rd day of the trial, Edgeworth spots something off with Dee's testimony and points it out to the court, helping Phoenix. He further stalls the trial by asking Dee to testify about when the body was found, after suspecting that Powers wasn't really the killer. The fact that Edgeworth stuck his neck out for Phoenix ''multiple'' times during end of the trial makes a pretty big impression on Phoenix, and shows his progression towards finding the truth.

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[[folder: Turnabout Goodbyes ]]

* Phoenix and Maya's goodbye scene at the end of the case. There's a quiet poignancy about it. They haven't even known each other for six months at this point, but they have obviously formed a deep bond nevertheless.
--> '''Maya''': Nick...
--> '''Phoenix''': Thanks, Maya. I couldn't have done it without you.
--> '''Maya''': ...
--> '''Maya''': ...
--> '''Maya''': I'll be back soon.
--> '''Phoenix''': Huh?
--> '''Maya''': I'm going to complete my training, and come back!
--> '''Phoenix''': ...Okay. I'll be waiting.
--> '''Maya''': ''(cue her perky theme as she grins)'' Of course you will. You can't run that office by yourself! You're hopeless!
* The part at the end, where Gumshoe informs you that the previously awkward and repressed Edgeworth, who had treated him rather poorly throughout the game, stopped by the police station to wish him a happy new year. He tried to whoop and holler to emphasize his goodwill, but immediately sulked out afterwards, feeling silly for yelling. It's very cute seeing Edgeworth get out of his comfort zone and showing that he really does care about his friends.
* When Larry Butz stops a FissionMailed and makes his speech about how 'It's not right that they prosecute Edgey.'
* When Lotta won't go either way on whether she clearly saw Edgeworth fire the pistol on the lake, Maya doesn't sit idly by and watch it happen; she presses Lotta hard on what exactly happened, and when the Judge warns Maya that she'll be held in contempt and go to jail if she keeps going, she doesn't so much as flinch. She just keeps reminding Lotta that this is ''crucial'' and that she needs to tell the truth, and she is indeed escorted out for her outburst. After that part of the trial ends, you talk to Edgeworth for a bit and tell him you're going to visit Maya at the Detention Center. Before you go, he says, "Tell her something for me. Tell... [[DoesNotKnowHowToSayThanks Tell her to watch what she says in court.]]" SO CLOSE to an actual thank you, even though it seemed to go right over Phoenix's head. To top it off, later Gumshoe remarks that when she stood up for him, not caring about being locked up for it, Edgeworth was so moved that [[TryingNotToCry his lip trembled.]]
** It's also important to keep in mind that up until this point, Maya had no reason to be kind to Edgeworth; he tried to get her convicted for Mia's murder, he has a terrible reputation as a "demon," and he's been consistently arrogant and confrontational to her and Phoenix. Maya went to bat for him solely because she knew that it was the right thing to do.
** Made even more heartwarming when we find out that he quietly paid Maya's bail (we're not told how much, but it was probably steep) because he knows she kept his case alive. And as 2-4 and 3-5 shows, he's held Maya very dear in his thoughts ever since. He never forgot what she did for him and never will.
* Discovering the truth on why Phoenix became a defense attorney. He was accused by his class of stealing a classmate's lunch money and Edgeworth defended him, despite being the one whose money was stolen and Larry joining in on the defense. It's still cute even after we learn that ''Larry'' was the culprit (which Edgeworth knew all along; it may be why he defended Phoenix.)
* Just the fact that, despite all of his faults, Edgeworth has ''three'' people who believe in him without reservations -- Phoenix, Maya, and Gumshoe are all firmly in his corner through the entire trial, even though Maya doesn't have the kind of emotional tie to him that Phoenix does, and Gumshoe's always putting up with Edgeworth's sub-par treatment of him.
** Realizing that Manfred von Karma's well-laid plan to destroy Edgeworth, which he spent ''fifteen years'' developing, fell apart solely because of how much Edgeworth's childhood friends care about him. Phoenix saw an article that described Edgeworth as a demon prosecutor and instantly knew that something was wrong. Rather than let the matter rest, he became a defense attorney to find out what happened and see what he could do to help. And when Larry realized that something wasn't right about Edgeworth's trial, he leapt into action to testify about what he knew, thus saving Edgeworth from a "Guilty" verdict.
* The Judge closing the book on DL-6 for good and finally letting Edgeworth rest easy knowing that he didn't accidentally kill his father, ending his years of crushing guilt and endless nightmares.
--> '''The Judge''': You were innocent. You ''are'' innocent.
--> '''Edgeworth''': [[VisibleSilence ...]]
--> '''The Judge''': As you said, it was all a 'nightmare.'

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Rise from the Ashes ]]

* Edgeworth doting on Ema by encouraging her scientific investigation and spirit, and then giving her a fingerprinting kit and files to help with the case. Particularly since it's, you know, ''Edgeworth''. Phoenix goes to thank him, and Edgeworth tries to shrug it off.
* Later on, in court, Ema interrupts just as a verdict is about to be handed down. She begs to be heard. Edgeworth generously agrees to it: "You want a minute? I'll give you three."
** It's even nicer when you consider how pretty much every previous trial had Edgeworth fighting tooth-and-nail to get a guilty verdict as quickly as possible. Letting Ema speak not only prolonged the trial, but let Phoenix begin to uncover the evidence needed to get a "not guilty" verdict for Lana. Edgeworth must have known both would happen, but let Ema speak anyway, because he wanted to hear everything to help him make an informed decision.
** In general, this is the first case Edgeworth has prosecuted (chronologically) where Edgeworth is 100% dedicated to finding the truth and bringing the right people to justice, rather than trying to win by any means necessary. Turnabout Samurai may have been the start for his change of heart, but here we get to see it just about at it's conclusion, and what it results in: the best prosecutor Edgeworth's ever been, and someone Phoenix can rely on in court. [[ForegoneConclusion A shame it's the last case he stands before "disappearing"...]]
* Gumshoe, feeling terrible that the police betrayed Edgeworth by giving him false evidence two years ago, gives Phoenix and Ema his ID card so they can check out Gant’s office. When Phoenix and Ema protest that he could get in major trouble, he says he’s probably already on the way out, but wants to help as much as he can. He even joins them in investigating, saying they’re all on the same team now.
* The Judge makes a point of not saying that Ema 'murdered' Neil Marshall, he even explains that it's not the right word to use, given it was clearly self defense. He also seems shocked and saddened by the revelation.
** Not just the judge; Phoenix, Edgeworth, and Gumshoe all go out of their way to avoid saying Ema "murdered" Neil.
* If you press one of Lana's statements regarding the broken jar that supposedly implicates Ema in Neil Marshall's murder, she'll say that she should have ground the jar to pieces. Ema's rather touched, and Phoenix sees hope that the sisters can reconcile. Pressing another statement in the same cross-examination causes Ema to regret her bitterness toward Lana, since she didn't understand what Lana was going through for the past two years.
* Lana smiles for the first time in years.
** A bit of a TearJerker, as well, but definitely in a happy sort of way.
* Ema's reunion with Lana at the end, that could very well be their first hug since SL-9, especially considering Lana's coldness until then. Coupled with Phoenix's touching monologue.
--->'''Phoenix:''' As for the sisters...I have faith. Faith that their lives... have only just begun. And as for me... I think it's time I started on a new journey of my own. A journey to rediscover myself.
* To summarise this case, Phoenix took on an unwinnable case where the defendant had confessed to the crime and was witnessed committing the crime, which was soon revealed to be part of a conspiracy involving the highest police authority who was very capable of ending Phoenix's career prematurely if things went badly. Why did he take this on? Because the client who came calling to him, Ema, had total faith that her sister didn't do this. [[NiceGuy Phoenix believes in his clients]] [[{{Determinator}} and he'll go as far as it takes to save them.]]
* The final scene at the end of case where Edgeworth had made everyone else think he had killed himself when he was really WalkingTheEarth. The one person in the world he called up to let them know he was still alive? Gumshoe. To let him know that he was okay and to water his plants for him.
** The amount of trust between Edgeworth and Gumshoe. Considering no one else knew that Edgeworth was even still alive, he must have asked or told Gumshoe not to tell anyone. And Gumshoe kept it secret and told no one, not even Phoenix. Edgeworth trusted Gumshoe enough to let him be the only one to know that he was still alive.
* A minor one, but if you show Ema the luminol bottle, she mentions that sometimes Lana just buys her the luminol in place of her allowance. Not much on its own, but considering Lana's still behind her facade, it's really sweet to know that she's still responding positively to Ema's goals.
* Jake Marshall's last words in the case (before the credits) are to Ema, expressing disappointment that he won't be around to work with her when she becomes a forensic scientist. Even with the circumstances, he never held his brother's death against her.
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