Ace Attorney: Beyond the Shadows / Characters

Due to how many characters are Walking Spoilers, all spoiler tropes will be unmarked. You Have Been Warned.

Tropes relating to canon characters will only apply if the trope is represented in this fangame.

open/close all folders

Returning characters

Phoenix Wright

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101024_pm.png

The protagonist of the first chapter. He is shot in the second chapter and is hospitalized, as well as being kidnapped by a desperate Wade Waters three chapters later. Poor guy has it rough despite his limited screen time.

The Ace: He's an excellent defense attorney who can cut through arguments like swiss cheese. This is one of the reasons why Nathan Mags is so desperate to get rid of him.
Anime Hair: It wouldn't be Phoenix Wright without him sporting it.
The Atoner: He knows that he left a terrible first impression on Apollo and feels awful about the collateral in his quest to bring Kristoph Gavin down. This results in him willingly taking more of the hits this time around, almost leading to his death.
Big Damn Heroes: He bursts in with Franziska to provide evidence to arrest Wade Waters and shut down Mags' syndicate once and for all.
Blue Is Heroic: He wears blue and is an honorable and just lawyer.
The Bus Came Back: He returns in chapter 5, trying to investigate the truth behind Nathan Mags and his syndicate. From there, he shares the protagonist role with Apollo and Athena.
Butt-Monkey: He gets shot, hospitalized, and kidnapped in the span of a few months. The poor guy can't catch a break even out of canon.
Call-Back: He still likes to present his badge to everyone he sees, depending on the player's input.
- Maya is still busy sending him "homework" in the form of stell samurai spinoffs.
- Phoenix still drinks a lot of grape juice. Surprisingly, it's actually grape juice and not wine, as Apollo originally thought.
Decoy Protagonist: He's shot in the second chapter, forcing Apollo to take his place.
Deadpan Snarker: He's as snarky as ever, with his wit honed by his Apollo Justice days.
Dramatic Irony: Him and Apollo's struggles are incredibly similar. The two of them are both dealing with their own traumas and have tried to fight their own battles without the help of others. This gets them into far more trouble than they should have been in, rushing into danger by themselves without relying on the support of others, due to their desire to be the hero even when they're nowhere near capable enough to pull this feat off alone. Ironically, both of them ignore their similarities until much later.
The Dreaded: He's a feared attorney due to how good he is in court. Mags shoots him to prevent Phoenix from exposing his crimes, knowing full well what Wright is capable of.
A Father to His Men: He is a benevolent figure to everyone under his employ, and despite some disagreements, the respect goes both ways.
Good Parents: He's a loving father to Trucy, and she refuses to leave his side when he's recovering in hospital.
He Knows Too Much: Why him and Franziska are kidnapped.
Heroic BSoD: He has a severe one when he's kidnapped with Franziska. His regrets start piling up and he starts so hopeless that Franzy herself has to be the one to snap him out of it.
Honor Before Reason: Like Apollo, he rushes in to fight the mob despite knowing he's nowhere near capable enough to take them on alone. This gets him and Franziska kidnapped and nearly killed.
The Kirk: Out of Athena and Apollo, he's got the strongest leadership skills and tries to keep everyone together.
Leeroy Jenkins: His first action after getting out of hospital is to rush headfirst into a dangerous investigation. This goes about as well as you'd expect.
My God, What Have I Done?: He's had time to regret his mistreatment of Apollo two years ago and believes that Apollo still harbors negative feelings towards him for it.
Nice Guy: A trait everyone at his law firm shares. Phoenix is moral, friendly, and pleasant to his clients.
Put on a Bus: He's shot by Mags and is out of action for several chapters, recovering with Trucy by his side as moral support.
Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Being shot is painful and recovering takes a long time. Unlike Shi-Long Lang and Franziska Von Karma, Phoenix is in hospital for months instead of walking out after a few days.
Stepford Smiler: Like Apollo, Phoenix Wright feels a lot of guilt about what has happened in the past. While he's right in recognising his mistreatment of Apollo, he feels the need to try and atone for it by trying to carry everyone else and their burdens at the expense of his mental health.
Team Dad: He holds this role in the Wright anything agency due to being the oldest member by far. He's also the moral center and person keeping everything together.
Worf Had the Flu: He's shot in chapter 2 and out of comission for the rest of the game. As he's a far more competent lawyer than Apollo or Athena, it makes sense from a narrative standpoint otherwise he would have easily defeated Mags and the Rivales family.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: On the receiving end of this trope. He's given this speech by Franziska Von Karma to snap him out of one of his darkest moments. It ends up working.

Apollo Justice

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_94337_pm.png

The protagonist in later chapters. He's struggling with the burden of his profession, desperate to prove himself to others as well as himself.

Adaptational Dumbass: Apollo is far more willing to rush into danger than in canon, where he tends to be more cautious and wary of some of the more dangerous antics that Phoenix and Athena get into. This is especially idiotic when he's going against some of the most dangerous men in the country.
Adaptational Jerkass: Downplayed, but Apollo is slightly colder and more distant than he is in canon. This may be due to him being broken by Nathan Mags accusing the two of them of being similar.
Big Good: He's the character most involved in taking down Mags and the Rivales, directly confronting almost every big player in the syndicate.
Brainy Brunette: He's got brown hair and is the smartest member of the Wright anything agency.
Broken Ace: He's an extremely gifted lawyer, though someone with his own inner demons and regrets due to some of his traumatic experiences in the courtroom.
Butt-Monkey: While he doesn't suffer the same misfortunes Phoenix does, he's handed a bunch of uncooperative defenants as well as frequently insulted and abused.
Call-Back: Like his boss, he'll shove his badge in everyone's face if given the chance, or if the player so wishes.
Curb-Stomp Battle: He gives the verbal equivalent to Tristan Rivales in court, due to Tristan greatly overestimating his abilities.
Dramatic Irony: Him and Phoenix's struggles are incredibly similar. The two of them are both dealing with their own traumas and have tried to fight their own battles without the help of others. This gets them into far more trouble than they should have been in, rushing into danger by themselves without relying on the support of others, due to their desire to be the hero even when they're nowhere near capable enough to pull this feat off alone. Ironically, both of them ignore their similarities until much later.
First-Person Smartass: Like in canon, he is incredibly snarky and opinionated in his head. Not that he'd ever reveal his thoughts to anyone.
Heroic BSoD: Nathan Mags' speech to him really gets under his skin, causing Apollo to have severe doubts about himself.
Honor Before Reason: Like in canon, he has a habit of running into danger when he believes it's the right thing to do, despite knowing that he's putting himself in danger. This gets close to killing him several times.
Idiot Hair: Apollo's defining visual feature. Amazingly, it's never mocked by any of the characters.
Leeroy Jenkins: He tries to take on the mob, despite knowing how dangerous and unpredictable they are. He almost dies in every chapter due to his desperation to defeat them. This ends up succeeding, though not without a lot of unnecessary danger and stress piled onto him in the process.
Mistaken for Cheating: By Shay, who thinks he's cheating on Athena with Pearl. Apollo is shocked he could even come to that conclusion.
Multiple Endings: If he puts in the safe code (that Phoenix finds out much later,) he gets kidnapped and thrown into the plot of 999. Obviously, this isn't canon.
Nice Guy: Despite being a bit colder than he is in canon games, he still is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect his clients and he's still friendly and willing to own up to his mistakes.
Oh, Crap!: He has two in chapter 5. The first is when Phoenix Wright goes missing and the second is when he realizes he let a notorious assassin off the hook.
- He gets another one when he realises he's going up against Miles Edgeworth, the best legitimate prosecutor in the franchise.
Red Is Heroic: Wears red and is on the side of good.
Older Than They Look: He's mistaken for being a teenager by several people, despite being in his mid 20s.
She Is Not My Girlfriend: Shay Dee mistakes Athena as Apollo's girlfriend, believing him to be cheating on her with Pearl. Apollo is thrown off guard by this accusation.
The Spock: He's the most logical out of the Wright and co. trio and he relies on evidence and analytical deductions over bluffing.
Stepford Smiler: He tries to keep his feelings to himself, putting on a big smile to hide his insecurities. Athena can see right through it.
- He really becomes this in chapter 5. Apollo is carrying a lot of emotional baggage because of the awful people he's gone up against in court, with him developing self-doubt and severe insecurities about his line of work. Nathan Mags is able to use this against him by breaking him down before being arrested, leading to Apollo going on a dangerous crusade against Mags in order to prove that he's the paragon of virtue that he wants to be. Pearl and her magatama have to break Apollo out of this depression.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: He has this with Nathan Mags, who he has nothing but pure hatred for. Unfortunately, the evil magnate is his only chance to catch Waters, who is still on the loose.
What the Hell, Hero?: Athena gives him several of these for not sharing his problems with her.

Athena Cykes

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100443_pm.png

Apollo's assistant from chapter 2 onwards. She has widget and her mood matrix at her disposal to help Apollo out of a tight situation.

Anime Hair: How her hair stays up is anyone's guess.
Beware the Nice Ones: She's the kindest out of the Wright and co. lawyers, but she lashes out at Apollo for being so secretive. She even temporarily abandons him before getting kidnapped by Vito.
- She also doesn't care much for Shay, due to him bringing her to Vito Rivales.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: She may be overly emotional and all over the place, but she's every bit as capable in court as Apollo.
Damsel in Distress: She gets captured by the mob and has to be rescued by Apollo and Franziska Von Karma.
Emo Teen: She briefly becomes this whenever Tristan wallows in despair around her. Apollo has to snap her out of this several times.
The Empath: She can feel other people's emotions and pick them up easily with her mood matrix. This becomes useful on multiple occasions.
Fiery Redhead: She's full of passion and energy, and has orange hair.
Genki Girl: She's as cheerful and hyperactive as in the main games.
Hyper-Competent Sidekick: She's Apollo's sidekick and an extremely intelligent and savvy lawyer.
Light Is Good: She wears brightly coloured clothing and is a paragon of virtue.
The Mccoy: She's the most emotional and empathetic of the group, and finds it easier to relate and get people to open up to her, even if her emotions sometimes cloud her judgement.
Nice Guy: She's friendly, caring, and polite, someone willing to see the best in most people unless they've directly harmed her.
Only Sane Man: She realizes how dangerous Apollo's crusade against the mob is and frequently tries to warn him of the risks. He doesn't listen.
Teen Genius: She's 19 and as sharp as a needle.

Trucy Wright

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103719_pm.png

Phoenix's adopted daughter. She helps Apollo in chapter 5 as well as being the leader in the search party for her beloved daddy.

Blue Is Heroic: Like her daddy, she is a valiant young woman who is willing to go to great lengths to help those close to her. Also like her daddy, she wears blue.
The Determinator: She will not rest until she is sure Phoenix is safe. Apollo is impressed by her dedication.
Epic Fail: When Apollo, Athena, and Edgeworth are showing off their badges, she feels left out and shoves her magic panties in everyone's faces. She's met with awkward silence.
Happily Adopted: She adores her adopted father and freaks out when she finds out something bad has happened to him.
Nice Guy: She's as friendly and helpful as she is in canon, being a loving daughter to Phoenix and a staunch ally to Apollo and Athena. She refuses to leave Phoenix's side while he's in hospital.
Oh, Crap!: She freaks out when "Daddy" goes missing.

Winston Payne

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_94738_pm.png

The prosecutor for the first chapter. In typical fashion, he's forgotten about after being thrashed in court.

Butt-Monkey: He's not taken seriously by anyone, being sidelined halfway through the trial.
Flat Character: As always, he's here to be a placeholder until more difficult and interesting prosecutors show up.
The Goomba: His prosecuting style is as weak as ever, with his objections being easily countered. When the case starts to get serious, he slides back into the sidelines and lets the witnesses pick up the slack.
Hero Antagonist: He's not doing anything wrong, genuinely believing Ema Skye is guilty of murder. He's an opponent in court, though he's doing his job just like Phoenix is.
Ridiculously Average Guy: He's a mediocre prosecutor who goes up against one of the best lawyers in the country for the first chapter. He's only able to beat Edward Crooke due to Crooke being a rookie.
Warm-Up Boss: He's the first prosecutor you face, and still underwhelming at his job. Naturally, he's there to give you some practice before you go up against Miles Edgeworth and Franziska Von Karma.

Franziska Von Karma

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100156_pm.png

The prosecutor from chapter 2 onwards. She is working with Interpol. She gains a larger role when she and Phoenix Wright are kidnapped by Wade Waters in chapter 5.

Adaptational Nice Guy: She's a lot friendlier than in canon. Possibly justified due to the time gap giving her some character development.
Adapted Out: Her obsession with perfection and misandry have almost vanished, due to her being free of Manfred's influence.
Big Damn Heroes: She bursts into Rivales' office before he can kill Apollo, whipping the gun out of his hand and hauling him to jail.
- She does this again along with Phoenix Wright to provide evidence to arrest Wade Waters.
Blue Is Heroic: She has a blue color motif and is far more morally sound than in canon.
Defrosting Ice Queen: She's started to warm up to others and is far less hostile in general, with the only thing she has in common with her justice for all self being her habit of whipping people who annoy her.
Friendly Enemy: She puts up a tough fight against Apollo in court but none of them hold it against each other. She actually sees him as a friend outside of the courtroom.
Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: She gives this to Phoenix Wright during his Heroic BSoD. It works surprisingly well considering that Von Karma lacks the empathy and charisma of most people who pull off this trope.
He Knows Too Much: Why she and Phoenix are kidnapped.
Hero Antagonist: She may be at odds with Phoenix and co frequently, but she's driven by a desire to find the truth while still doing her job to the best of her abilities.
Idiot Ball: There's no excuse for her forgetting the voice and appearance of a man she and interpol had been searching for years for. This is almost excused as nobody else seems to catch on either.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She's far less of a jerk than before, yet she's still rather brash and short tempered. She is willing to comfort and lend assistance to others who need it, and even helps Phoenix through one of his darkest moments.
Older and Wiser: She seems to have grown up from her perfectionistic attitude.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: She shows her more vunerable side to Phoenix Wright and offers him support when the two of them are kidnapped, even giving him Maya's card ten years after she was kidnapped. Being Franziska, she brushes this moment of extreme kidness off and ruins the mood a bit by still whipping the defense attorney.
Took a Level in Kindness: She still is all to happy to whip fools, but she actually functions like a normal human being now, being capable of showing kindness to people outside of her family as well as admitting when she's wrong. Her social skills are now passable, even if she still is rather smug.
Tsundere: A non romantic version. She has a lot of respect for Apollo and Phoenix Wright, going so far as to see the two of them as friends. Not that'd she'd ever admit.
- In a dramatic example of this trope, she exposes her more vunerable side to Phoenix when the two of them are kidnapped and gives him a pep talk as well as the card that Maya drew when she was kidnapped. When Phoenix thanks her, she tries to deflect the compliments, refusing to let Phoenix see this more nurturing side of her.
Verbal Tic: Fool is still her favorite word to say.
Worthy Opponent: She grows to see Apollo as one, seeing him as worthy of helping her take down the Rivales family.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: She gives a speech like this to Phoenix Wright to prove to him that Apollo doesn't hate him.

The Judge

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_95021_pm.png

The lovable Judge. He's there to deliever a rightful verdict, only being removed during the trials with unjust verdicts.

Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He may not always understand what's going on, but he always delivers the right verdict in the end and gives Phoenix and Apollo a chance to state their points.
Deadpan Snarker: He has his moments, especially when Phoenix or Apollo mess up in court.
Ditzy Genius: He's an extremely wise man, though sometimes prone to making strange and irrelevant comments.
Only Known by Their Nickname: He still goes by Judge like in the main games.
Reasonable Authority Figure: He believes in a fair verdict and will hear out all sides of the story before handing down a verdict. He always makes the right call when enough evidence is provided to him. This is why Nathan Mags tried to have him replaced for his trial, as he was worried the Judge would be impossible to bribe or intimidate.
The Stoic: He doesn't let emotions get in the way of his verdict, being hard to shock, upset, or amuse.

Miles Edgeworth

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100048_pm.png

A friend of Phoenix Wright. He's busy for most of the game.

Call-Back: Two. He likes to show his badge to others if prompted and he has trouble with witnesses not stating their name and occupations, like he always has.
The Dreaded: A heroic example. Apollo is nervous about going up against him, due to Edgeworth being such a good prosecutor.
Friendly Enemy: He's this to Apollo in court. They're both against each other at the stand while still being on good terms in their daily life. Edgeworth still keeps this mentality when the two of them are discussing cases, refusing to disclose information no matter how important it is.
Gentleman and a Scholar: What he's become. He's sophisticated, extremely intelligent, and has impeccable manners.
Hero Antagonist: Even when he's facing off against Wright and co, he's firmly on the side of good.
Nice Guy: He's polite, honorable, and loyal, seeing the truth as being more important than getting a guilty verdict no matter what. His morals here are far more in line with Gregory Edgeworth's than Manfred Von Karma's.
Older and Wiser: He cares far more about finding the truth over winning cases like his foster sister. He's willing to work with Phoenix Wright to get a just verdict, as opposed to just seeing him as an opponent to fight against.
Red Is Heroic: Wears a magenta suit and is purely on the side of good. In this iteration, it's clear that the demon prosecutor is long gone.
Wake-Up Call Boss: He's a far better prosecutor than Franziska, and pushes back against Apollo's claims far more firmly. Breaking his arguments helps set the stage for the much more difficult witnesses in the final chapter.

Ema Skye

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_94659_pm.png

A detective. She helps forensics at crime scenes. She is also the defendant in the first case, having stumbled across the body of Victor Timothy, her co-worker.

Adapted Out: Her role as a forensic investigator is seldom brought up, due to that mechanic not being in the game. She only makes a few offhand references to forensics, surprising as that is a key part of her character.
Brainy Brunette: She's one of the smartest characters in the game and has dark brown hair.
Call-Back: This is not the first time she's been framed for murder by another member of law enforcement.
- Her crush on Edgeworth has not disappeared, as she tries to get on his good side during court, even offering him her snackoos.
Comically Missing the Point: After defending her in court, Apollo awkwardly tries to ask her about the file that was stolen. She somehow believes Apollo is asking her out. She politely rejects him, leaving him confused and hurt.
Easily Forgiven: Apollo seems to have gotten over the fact she mistreated him and threw snackoos at him in Apollo Justice.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She's still a bit bristly when interacting with people she doesn't revere, yet she's a helpful ally who will go out on a limb to help the protagonists.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: She's willing to give her snackoos and forensics kit to Miles Edgeworth. Apollo notices that this is extremely odd for Ema. This is justified, as she still has a massive crush on Edgeworth.
Speak Ill of the Dead: She's fine with Charles Fuzz being murdered, since he tried to frame her for a crime she didn't commit. It's hard to blame her.
Took a Level in Kindness: She is a lot friendlier to Apollo due to getting to do some forensics as well as detective work.
Trademark Favourite Food: She still loves snackoos, even if she doesn't eat them as much as she used to. This may be because she's grown content with her job and doesn't need to rely on comfort food as often.
You're Not My Type: She humorously gives one to Apollo, thinking he's asking her out. He's both flustered and confused by her statement.

Dr Hickfield/Dr Hotti

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100843_pm.png

A creepy and perverted doctor who somehow is still working at the Hickfield clinic. He's still up to his old ways of perving on young girls.

The Cameo: He has no role in the story apart from being a familiar face and a creepy bastard.
Dirty Old Man: He's definitely quite old at this point, and as depraved as ever.
Gonk: Just like in canon. His face is as ugly as his personality.
Hate Sink: He's as disgusting and creepy as ever. He only serves a purpose to give you someone to hate right before Nathan Mags reveals his true colors.
Light Is Not Good: He's not evil, but he's an incredibly predatory and repulsive man.
Karma Houdini: He still hasn't been punished yet for sexually harassing and assaulting numerous female patients.
Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: Seeing as his idea of being a doctor is trying to molest every female patient in the hospital, he obviously counts.

Wesley Stickler

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100746_pm.png

A panty thief that Apollo has a strong dislike towards. He witnessed Matt Doore's murder. He also serves to be a chew toy for everyone during his appearances, due to the fact nobody can stand him.

Be as Unhelpful as Possible: He gets simple facts wrong and complicates the case for everyone, only providing helpful information when pressed for an extremely long time. This could have been avoided if he'd simply said that he was unsure about certain events.
Butt-Monkey: He's a punching bag for Apollo, the author, Franziska, and Athena. When he's on screen, everyone makes it clear they can't stand him and turn him into the butt of the joke. It almost makes you feel sorry for the poor guy.
Dumbass Has a Point: He is right in claiming he heard two shots. This is something that helps reinforce Apollo's argument and provide a new line of investigation.
Hated by All: One he probably doesn't deserve. Everyone apart from Athena can't stand him, and even she doesn't object to the abuse he's subjected to. Apollo reacts with more vitriol to him appearing than he did when he had to go up against Kristoph Gavin for a second time.
Hate Sink: A comedic example. He serves only to be a punching bag that Apollo can insult without making him seem unsympathetic. Stickler is still creepy, pretentious, and obnoxious, making him a character that serves the sole purpose of being unhelpful and unlikable.
Motor Mouth: He runs his lips off is given the chance just like before.
Never Live It Down: An in universe example. He's known as the guy who stole Trucy's panties and committed perjury for no good reason other than he was too stupid to admit he was unaware of everything that had happened. Apollo lets him know he remembers Stickler's wrongdoings.
Reformed, but Rejected: He is sorry for stealing Trucy's panties two years ago, but nobody is willing to give him a second chance, due to him still being a smug and pretentious twit.
Spanner in the Works: Him looking out the window creates a hole in the prosecution's argument and proves that another person was at the crime scene.

Shelley De Killer (John Doe)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101740_pm.png

A ruthless Professional Killer masquerading as a butler. He is accused of murdering Ness Tinline. He also serves as a Red Herring in the final chapter, with the continuation of his fearsome legacy adding to the list of Apollo's regrets.

Affably Evil: He's unfailing polite and pays Apollo handsomely. If he wasn't the same person that kidnapped Maya and shot Franziska, you'd be forgiven for genuinely thinking he was a paragon.
A Lighter Shade of Black: Only barely. He's a ruthless assassin, but tries to avoid collateral and needlessly ruining lives like Mags and the Rivales do.
Atrocious Alias: Seriously? John Doe. It's no wonder everyone suspected him of murder.
The Butler Did It: Averted trope. De Killer was going to murder someone else, but was accused of an unrelated murder before he could carry out the hit.
Call-Back: He gets screwed over by a Tristian Rivales, Matt Engarde expy during what should have otherwise been a simple assassination. The only difference is that Engarde hired him while Rivales thought he was just a butler.
- This also isn't the first time he's disguised himself as a butler.
Dark Is Evil: Dresses like a butler and is a rather despicable person, despite how affable he comes across.
Devil in Plain Sight: He's a feared assassin who has personally interacted with several characters. Fortunately, those characters are busy and can't tell Apollo that he's defending a serial killer.
Dramatic Irony: While the player is well aware of what type of person Shelley is, Apollo isn't and goes out of his way to prove to everyone that Shelley is innocent. There's also something amusingly morbid about Apollo defending the man who kidnapped his boss' best friend and shot the prosecutor in the shoulder.
The Dreaded: When it's revealed that John Doe was actually Shelley De Killer, Apollo and Athena are both heavily shaken, due to the man being a feared contract killer. Fortunately, both of them were able to get on his good graces on top of not being his targets.
Even Evil Has Standards: He's a murderous assassin, but even he has problems with the Rivales family's ruthlessness.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: He's still got stitches down his face and regardless of how polite and pleasant he is, he's still a very evil man.
Karma Houdini: He gets away with his crimes from previous games once again.
Noble Demon: He accepts not being paid due to failing his assassination and rewards Apollo for helping him. He's also as evil as the real killer.
Not Me This Time: He didn't actually kill Ness, he was hired to kill Shay but was accused of murder before he could complete the hit.
Obviously Evil: A rare example where none of the characters realise it. De Killer is far too stoic and polite for a suspect being accused of capital murder. His stitches and mannerisms also come across as incredibly creepy, making it all the more baffling Apollo and Franziska didn't get suspicious about the identity of the butler.
Pet the Dog: He pays Apollo a generous sum for getting him a not guilty verdict.
Professional Killer: He is Shelley De Killer after all.
Refuge in Audacity: There's something hilarious about Apollo inadvertently defending a Professional Killer who was in the process of assassinating someone and having him be prosecuted by the woman he shot nine years ago.

Wocky Kitaki

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_102423_pm.png

A gangbanger turned baker. He helps at his father's bakery and seems to have mellowed out since Apollo Justice, despite still acting a decade younger than he actually is.

Adaptational Nice Guy: He's less of a jerk than he was in Apollo Justice, with his job as a baker mellowing him out.
Berserk Button: Calling his OG "crackers" muffins really sours his mood.
Earn Your Happy Ending: He was betrayed by his gold digging wife, shot in the heart, and almost arrested for a murder he didn't commit. He's had the surgery required to save his life and he's enjoying his new job at the bakery. It's safe to say that Wocky has come a long way.
Heel–Face Turn: He's gone from a gangster to a legitimate baker like his father.
Insistent Terminology: They're crackers, not muffins. He'll remind you if you forget.
Pretty Fly for a White Guy: No longer being a teenager hasn't changed his obsession with speaking using slang terms at unnecessary moments. That said, he's pretty hip for a former gangster, G.
Reformed Criminal: He went from a gangster and attempted murderer to a legitimate baker like his father.
Took a Level in Kindness: He's far friendlier now as a baker, even if he still can be a bit irritating to people that don't understand his vernacular.

Winfred "Big Wins" Kitaki

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_102447_pm.png

A former mob boss turned legitimate baker. He appears in a cameo in the third chapter to give exposition about the Rivales family.

Face of a Thug: He looks terrifying, but is now a genuinely nice guy, being nothing but cordinal and sympathetic to Apollo and Athena.
Gentle Giant: He's extremely large and void of all the violence and malice his heart may have once held.
Heel–Face Turn: He's now a humble baker with no connections to the mob. A far cry from him being the mafia don two years ago.
Mr. Exposition: He mainly serves a purpose to give Apollo and Athena some information about the Rivales families.
Nice Guy: He's extremely polite to Apollo and Athena, happy to repay their debt by giving them information about the Rivales, despite being nervous even talking about them. He also advises them to do something less dangerous, clearly being worried about their safety.
Reformed Criminal: A former mob boss who is now a legitimate baker.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: On the receiving end of this. Athena compliments his baking and tells him she agrees and approves of his decisions. Big Wins is stunned but thankful for this confirmation.

Pearl Fey

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103815_pm.png

Maya Fey's younger cousin. She comes to help Apollo find Phoenix Wright. She also assists Trucy in finding Phoenix when he is kidnapped.

Nice Guy: She's Pearl Fey, of course she's going to be this.
Older Than They Look: Would you believe she's 18?
Passing the Torch: She gives Apollo her magatama like she gave to Phoenix Wright ten years ago.
She's All Grown Up: She's eighteen in this game, a year older than she was in Dual Destinies and a decade older than she was in Justice for all. Regardless, she's still as cute as a button.
Sixth Ranger: She appears in chapter 5 to help Apollo solve his case.
Token Mini-Moe: Well, she's Pearl Fey. She's not much younger than Athena and actually a bit older than Trucy, but looks to be in her early teens at most.
The Unreveal: It's never discovered what she said to Apollo to motivate him, though it's assumed to have been absolutely effective.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: She gives an incredibly effective one to Apollo offscreen. Sadly, it's never shown what exactly she said to him.

Turnabout Recovery

Charles Fuzz

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_95049_pm.png

An eccentric and extravagant detective, with weird hair to boot. He is the culprit of the first chapter, killing Victor Timothy during a botched robbery. He is murdered himself not long after his acquittal by Wade Waters for similar reasons to his own murder.

Agent Peacock: He's flamboyant and vibrant, along with being a detective.
A Lighter Shade of Black: He's an evil bastard for sure, but compared to Mags and the Rivales family, he's nothing. While he still kills an innocent person, it was not premeditated and was out of desperation rather than malice. This is downplayed when he tries to kill Shay Dee, though he still lacks the heinousness of many of the villains that have come after him.
Anime Hair: His pompadour is out of the Daryan Crescend playbook so fittingly, it also defies physics.
Artistic License – Law: How the hell he wasn't arrested for theft is anybody's guess. His claim of double jeopardy would also have not held up if he was still alive, due to the judge being corrupt.
Asshole Victim: It's hard to feel sorry for him once he's killed.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He's a goofy and overly flirtatious detective, but he's an incredibly good forger and liar. Phoenix takes a while to take him down, with Fuzz putting up an incredibly tough fight for a first case culprit.
Casanova Wannabe: He seems to see himself as God's gift to women. None of them can seem to stand him.
Confess to a Lesser Crime: He tries to admit to theft to avoid being charged for murder. This doesn't work, as the file he stole has the victim's blood on it, pointing to him as the prime suspect.
Dirty Cop: He's a detective who is willing to resort to murder to get his way.
Dreadful Musician: His theme is... something.
Expressive Hair: Like Crescend, his hair droops when he's upset. It also sticks out when he brushes it.
Expy: Of Daryan Crescend. They're both corrupt detectives who are far more formidable than they originally seem. They're also aspiring musicians with goofy hair and extravagant outfits.
Genre Savvy: He never explicitly confesses to his crime, only giving up when Phoenix Wright corners him. Him being able to hold onto plausible deniability allows him to weasal his way into a not guilty verdict due to a corrupt judge and "misplaced" evidence.
He Knows Too Much: He's killed by Wade Waters due to the fact he could potentially discover that Waters faked his own death.
I Never Said It Was Poison: He has two examples of this. The first is when he points out that Timothy wore glasses (something nobody else knew he needed due to him barely interacting with the rest of the detectives), when they were underneath him the whole time, meaning Fuzz had to have seen the detective wearing them before his murder. He also reveals that the missing file was a murder file, despite the fact he should not have had access to the file in the first place.
Karma Houdini: He gets a not guilty due to a corrupt Judge presiding his case.
Karma Houdini Warranty: He's killed only a day after being acquitted for his crimes.
Karmic Death: He's murdered before he can murder someone else, with the motive (being collateral in order to gain important documents) being the exact same reason he killed someone.
The Killer Becomes the Killed: He's murdered himself after killing Victor Timothy a few months ago.
Lean and Mean: He's thin and utterly corrupt.
Light Is Not Good: Wears bright clothes and is a corrupt detective willing to resort to murder if he needs to.
Narcissist: He's incredibly vain and selfish, willing to kill a fellow detective who got in his way.
No Celebrities Were Harmed: His dress style and mannerisms bring musicians like Elvis Presley to mind.
Nonstandard Character Design: He's far more cartoonish looking than the other characters. Fittingly, his personality is also more cartoonish than them as well.
Not-So-Harmless Villain: He's a pompous and vain blowhard, yet a skilled liar and savvy detective, using his knowledge of court procedures to manipulate his way out of a guilty sentence. If he hadn't been murdered, he would have been one of the only criminals to best Phoenix Wright.
Oh, Crap!: He admits to stealing the file, but this bites him in the ass when the victim's blood is found on it.
Punny Name: Fuzz is a slang term for detective.
Saying Too Much: How he's caught. He reveals he knows the contents of the stolen file, despite the fact he shouldn't be aware of what they were about.
Starter Villain: He's the first villain to be taken down in the game, being the culprit of Turnabout Recovery.
Villainous Breakdown: His hair droops and hits him in the face once his crimes are exposed.
Wake-Up Call Boss: He's an extremely cunning opponent and a gifted liar who puts up one hell of a battle before being taken down.

Ian Gard

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_95434_pm.png

The guard of the records room. He is constantly hungry. He first appears as a Red Herring. Later chapters involving him consist of him making occasional appearances throughout the rest of the game.

Ambiguously Brown: He's got a darker skin tone than most of the cast, but it's not revealed if he's of a different complexion or just tanned.
Bait-and-Switch: He originally seems like he's going to be the culprit. His testimony is vague and unhelpful, his alibi can't be fully verified by anyone, and he had access to the crime scene. It turns out that he's only guilty of being terrible at his job.
Big Eater: He's frequently hungry and takes many breaks to get more food.
The Ditz: He's not very good at his job or at remembering basic details, such as the time. He would have easily been charged with perjury if he had any idea what he was doing.
Dumbass Has a Point: He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, yet manages to break the testimony of Charles Fuzz (a far more intelligent and cunning man) by accidentaly proving that Fuzz was lying about his location at the time of the crime.
Epic Fail: He's so terrible at his job that he almost gets himself arrested for a murder he didn't commit. His testimony makes things worse for everyone by giving Charles Fuzz an alibi, with the murderous detective only being caught due to Gard inadvertedly destroying his own testimony moments later.
Punny Name: (Guard)(Ian.) He's the guard of the records room.
Red Herring: His flawed testimony and twitchy mannerisms make it seem like he's going to be the killer, though this ends up being because he's woefully incompetent at his job, something the actual killer exploits to place blame on him.
Running Gag: His ravenous appetite comes up frequently during his appearances.
Spanner in the Works: He inadvertedly helps catch Charlez Fuzz by contradicting his testimony. If he hadn't done that, Fuzz would have likely gotten away scot free.

Victor Timothy

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_95804_pm.png

The victim. He was killed in the records room by Charles Fuzz during a botched theft.

Blind Without 'Em: He really needed his glasses in order to see anything. This helps expose Charles Fuzz when he points this fact out, as Timothy falls onto them after dying.
Flat Character: Nothing is known about him but the fact that he was a detective and that he wore glasses.
He Knows Too Much: He was killed because he saw Charles Fuzz steal the OG-4 files.
Punny Name: He's the victim of the first case.
Remember the New Guy?: He's apparently a frequent face in the detective's office, despite obviously never being mentioned before.

The Smouldering Turnabout

Stan Talle

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100118_pm.png

A prosecutor accused of murder. He has already confessed to the crime. In reality, he went on a crusade against Nathan Mags due to the murder of his sister, holding the Corrupt Corporate Executive's assistant (and Mags' final victim) at gunpoint.

Anti-Hero: He's certainly got his heart in the right place, but his methods are dangerous and his unwillingness to cooperate with even his own lawyers cause a huge amount of problems for everyone on his side.
Be as Unhelpful as Possible: He doesn't put up much of a fight against his upcoming conviction and refuses to help his lawyers, even though he's completely innocent of the crimes he's being accused of.
Black-and-Grey Morality: He's a Cowboy Cop going up against a murderer and criminal kingpin. For all his flaws, he's easily morally superior to Mags and Doore.
Blinded by Rage: His hatred of Nathan Mags leads him to the most erratic and dangerous actions possible, almost getting him falsely accused of murder.
Bullying a Dragon: He holds Matt Doore at gunpoint to extract information about Nathan Mags. He's lucky Mags was arrested before he could kill the prosecutor.
Cowboy Cop: He's willing to go to extreme lengths to get justice for his sister's murder, even if it means holding a man at gunpoint to extract information out of him.
Dark Is Not Evil: He wears dark and drab clothing but is an honorable and noble guy, even if his methods are extreme.
The Eeyore: He's incredibly gloomy and pessimistic, which makes it hard for Phoenix and Apollo to defend him, due to him being completely willing to accept an unjust punishment.
Expy: Of Jake Marshall. Both of them are law enforcement officials who go off the deep end and take the law into their own hands to catch a criminal. While Jake Marshall accidentaly stabbed Mike Meekins and got sent to prison, Talle threatens a murderer and his crime is forgotten about when Nathan Mags is arrested.
Karma Houdini: Played with. While he does get arrested for a short amount of time, he faces little major consequences for holding someone at gunpoint and almost sabotaging an active investigation. This may be because of the fact the person he interrogated was a massive Asshole Victim who deserved every second of what happened to him.
Knight Templar: He oversteps his bounds with his methods, though his goal for wishing to expose Nathan Mags for the scumbag he is is nothing if not admirable.
Police Brutality: A rare sympathetic example. Holding someone at gunpoint isn't the most noble thing to do, but since it's to get a lead on how Mags killed Talle's sister, it's nearly understandable.
Punny Name: Stand tall. This might be a reference to him standing for what he believes in, no matter what the consequences.
Scary Black Man: He's dark skinned and uses his large build and gun to intimidate Matt Doore into confessing his crimes.
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: If he hadn't held Doore at gunpoint, he wouldn't have died and Mags would never have been investigated and exposed as a criminal mastermind. While Talle's methods were undeniably illegal, he did what he did to get justice for his sister's murder.

Emily Talle

The sister of Stan Talle. She was an Interpol agent killed in a fire at Red Co.

Cruel and Unusual Death: She died of smoke inhalation while trapped inside a burning building. Poor girl.
The Ghost: Her face is never seen, being represented by a siloutte.
He Knows Too Much: Why she was killed. She was getting close to exposing Mags' criminal syndicate.
The Lost Lenore: She's Stan's sister who was murdered by Nathan Mags. Stan's willing to go to extreme lengths to find out the truth behind her death.
Reused Character Design: Her model is just Valerie Hawthorne's but as a shadow.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: She was earnest and willing to risk her life to expose corruption. Unfortunately, she lost her life in the process, due to earning the attention of some of the most evil members of the city.

Matt Doore

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_102954_pm.png

The victim. He was Nathan Mags' assistant. He was also the killer of Raymond Betts, acquitted due to Edward Crooke's intervention. He's known to be a absolute pushover.

Asshole Victim: He's nowhere near as evil as the man who killed him, but he's still a remorseless murderer and coward who works for a megalomaniac.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: He originally seems like a meek coward who couldn't harm a fly. The truth is far more sinister.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He's apparently a very good manager and assistant despite being a coward who easily cracks under pressure.
Call-Back: This isn't the first time a defendant named Matt was guilty.
Cowardly Lion: To call this guy timid is a massive understatement.
Dirty Coward: He'll sell out even his own boss if he feels threatened.
Extreme Doormat: So much so that it's even in his name. A bit of pressure and he'll squeal like a pig.
Four Eyes, Zero Soul: He has glasses and is a murderer and coward.
Hate Sink: He's a cowardly worm who is willing to murder people if it benefits him. He's not even particularly charismatic or competent like his boss.
Informed Attribute: He's apparently talented enough to be the assistant to the CEO of one of the largest companies in the country. He's never shown to be anything but a pathetic weak coward who'll turn coat at the slightest provocation.
Karmic Death: He's killed for betraying Nathan Mags months after killing someone for betraying Nathan Mags.
The Millstone: He's the least competent out of the members of the Mags syndicate, and inadvertedly starts its downfall as a result of his incompetence.
Nervous Wreck: He's prone to freaking out when any pressure is placed on his shoulders, leading to him being a very easy target for anyone trying to get at Mags.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: His incompetence leads to Mags killing him for being a liability, which in turn leads to Mags getting arrested and his syndicate falling apart.
Punny Name: Doormat. He's stepped on by everyone.
Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: He's killed for selling out his boss.
Too Dumb to Live: Betraying Nathan Mags was an incredibly stupid and fatal mistake.
Walking Spoiler: Him being a murderer adds another level of detestability to him, showing that almost nobody in Nathan Mags' syndicate is a moral member of society.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: He's killed by Nathan Mags when he becomes a liability.

"Judge"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101118_pm.png

A Judge on Nathan Mags' payroll. He presides over every case that has an unjust verdict, due to the regular Judge being incorruptible. To show that he is a loathesome monster, he sports a full head of hair.

Artistic License – Law: How the hell he was able to keep his Judgeship despite being proven to be corrupt is anyone's guess. Though considering how a detective who held someone at gunpoint got off with a slap on the wrist, it's less surprising in the world of "beyond the shadows."
Beard of Evil: He has an impressive beard like the Judge. He also is incredibly crooked.
Even Evil Has Standards: He still convicts Nathan Mags of murder after being coerced into by Athena and the courtroom when he could have easily stood his ground and refused.
Evil Redhead: He has reddish hair and is utterly corrupt.
Hate Sink: He's here to show how corrupt, spineless, and greedy someone can be if they let their power get to their head. He overturns rightful convictions and lets innocents take the fall as long as he's paid well. He'll even turn on his own allies if enough pressure is put on him, meaning that he's not even that capable of a villain.
Karma Houdini: He never gets in trouble for accepting bribes and handing out wrongful verdicts despite evidence of the defendant's guilt or innocence contradicting said verdicts. The worst thing that happens to him is getting scolded by Athena and booed by the gallery.
Miscarriage of Justice: He gives Charles Fuzz a not guilty despite him clearly being the killer.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: He's a deeply corrupt judge who can easily be bribed to throw defendants into jail, regardless of them being guilty or not. His cowardice ends up with him backing out of delivering a not guilty verdict to Nathan Mags due to Athena scolding him for his corruption. Due to Nathan Mags never getting the chance to appeal his verdict, "judge" ended up putting the first nail in the coffin for the man whose payroll he was on.
Refuge in Audacity: He was somehow able to preside over cases despite being established as a highly corrupt man. Naturally, he does the exact same thing he was caught doing, with nobody bothering to suspect him of any wrongdoings.
Reused Character Design: He is pretty much the Judge with a different hair color.
Sissy Villain: This ends up helping Apollo and Athena arrest Mags. An angry teenage girl is more threatening to him than a criminal mastermind with the Los Angeles underworld in his pocket. He's fortunate enough that Mags didn't kill him for arresting him.

Nathan Mags

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101314_pm.png

The CEO of Red. Co. An evil, evil man. His handiwork is on every aspect of the game from his appearance onwards. Responsible (directly or indirectly) for the deaths of Emily Talle, Raymond Betts, Marlow Dee, Faith Truman, Matt Doore, and Charles Fuzz, he is a formidable foe to Apollo, posing a major threat even after his incarceration.

Ambition Is Evil: He wanted wealth and power, and went about it in the most destructive and reprehensible way imaginable.
Ax-Crazy: It's subtle and subdued but readily apparent. Nathan Mags is quick to violence if he feels even remotely threatened, relishing in his horrific actions.
Bad Boss: He'll murder his own employees if he feels they'll turn against him.
Big Bad: The main force behind all the problems Apollo and co. face. As the Rivales' family main funder, this is practically a given.
Brainy Brunette: He's got brown hair and is an extremely cunning and calculating man.
Call-Back: He is the CEO of Red. co. This is both a reference to Bluecorp and Redd White, fitting for a corrupt businessman like Mags.
Card-Carrying Villain: Mags outright admits he knows he's a horrible person, but couldn't care less as he enjoys the benefits such despicable actions bring.
The Chessmaster: He's a fantastic planner. He's studied and inserted himself into the mob, using his knowledge of their structure to propel himself high into their ranks in a very short amount of time. He funds their empire to get on their good graces while also cracking down on the weak links in his ranks, manipulating his henchmen into killing his problem minions then killing them before they can implicate him in the murders. He's got law enforcement officials in his pocket, as well as business connections aplenty, meaning he's able to keep afloat even with Interpol breathing down his neck. The main reason he's caught is because there's enough crimes he's responsible for that he could be arrested a hundred times over.
- Because he's Nathan Mags, he's even this behind bars. He manipulates Apollo into allowing him to assist in catching Wade Waters. Providing enough testimony to prevent being dismissed, he turns the trial into a way for him to gloat about his crimes to the horrified courtroom and gaslights Apollo and co for fun. He had hoped to use this to prove that he was worthy enough to be released due to his evidence being crucial in Water's arrest, though this backfired as it showed that Mags was too cunning to ever be released.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: He's the CEO of Red Co. and corrupt to the core.
The Corrupter: He corrupts everyone he comes into contact with, and kills or breaks those he can't.
Darker and Edgier: He's an extremely evil man who causes untold amounts of suffering and is prepared to ruin countless lives through his actions. He's easily one of the most evil and terrifying villains in the ace attorney fanfiction, being a chilling example of what someone with absolute power and no morals can achieve.
Disc-One Final Boss: A strange example. He's the big bad and is defeated at the end of chapter 2, yet still holds considerable power over the other characters. He's not fully defeated until all his henchmen are.
- He's even this again in chapter 5. He's the third major witness Apollo has to take down and the mastermind behind the death of Charles Fuzz. While he's not quite as difficult or lengthy to take down as Wade Waters, he's still the largest threat until the Fake Brit shows his true colors.
Drunk with Power: His first action after becoming a successful businessman is to take control of the criminal underworld and murder all his enemies.
Embodiment of Vice: He is greed personified, with all his decisions motivated by his desire to obtain and maintain power.
- He's also pride. He wants control over everyone to satisfy his ego, yet it isn't for him to be the shadow leader of the mob. He's waiting for an opportunity where he can be so powerful that he can reveal himself to the public, while using his connections and criminal empire to hold himself above the reach of the law. When he's arrested, he takes it in stride and boasts to everyone about his successes.
Enemy Mine: He works with Apollo to take down Wade Waters, though this is purely for selfish reasons, as Waters is a dangerous foe who has already gotten the upper hand over Mags once. He only offers his support for as long as it benefits his goals, dropping any assistance once he's gotten what he needs.
Entitled Bastard: He somehow expects people to stay loyal to him after throwing them out like garbage at a whim.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: He has no idea why Apollo won't give in to his despair and anger, as well as allowing Mags to testify a second time if it means catching Wade Waters.
Eviler than Thou: Mags is one of the most despicable villains in any fangame since Carlo Luciano and the bust killer. He's a sadistic and ruthless crime lord who has most of the city under his thumb before he's arrested, a man who kills and ruins lives for personal gain and his lust for power.
Evil Is Petty: He decides to betray Wade Waters by helping catch him because he's upset that he got caught before him. His reasons for doing this are anything but alturistic, being purely self-serving.
Evil Genius: He's as wealthy and evil as he is intelligent.
Evil Virtues: He's extremely ambitious and resourceful, being willing to work hard and use everything at his disposal to gain an advantage. Instead of humanising him, this just makes him a far more dangerous antagonist.
Evil vs. Evil: Him and Wade Waters are at odds due to the two having schemed against each other on numerous occasions. Though in this case, he's far more despicable than the Fake Brit.
Expy: Of Redd White. They're both CEOs of powerful companies who use them to commit horrific crimes. They have control over the legal system and are willing to murder anyone that gets in their way. The biggest difference is while Redd White was a blowhard who couldn't bluff his way out of a paper bag, Mags is a cunning and calculating man who has the entire city wrapped around his thumb.
Fatal Flaw: He is far too evil for his own good. His willingness to get his hands dirty leads to him doing many awful deeds, which lead a trail back to him that is slowly uncovered. Once all his subordinates are either dead or imprisoned, Mags has enough evidence mounted against him that even if he can bluff his way out of the most severe charges, he'll almost certainly be executed or in jail until the day he dies.
Faux Affably Evil: He originally seems like a friendly and generous man. He is anything but this.
- He really plays this up during chapter 5. Desperate to get revenge at Wade Waters, he acts like he genuinely wants to help solve the OG-4 case and agrees to testify about what's happened. By this point, everyone knows he's doing this for purely selfish reasons and are quick to shut him up before he can gaslight or browbeat anyone in the courtroom.
For the Evulz: He's already an extremely rich man, so many of his actions are just doing horrible things because he enjoys it.
Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: He has a rough childhood where he grew up in poverty, a story which he uses to try and manipulate the court. Apollo cuts through this by saying this doesn't justify his actions in the slightest.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Once a kid from a poverty-stricken family, Nathan Mags is now one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the country.
Gaslighting: A tactic of his when he's close to being defeated is to make his opponents question and doubt themselves. This becomes his go to method of screwing with people in the final chapter.
A Glass of Chianti: He inexplicably has one that he pulls out of his pocket to swirl once exposed as being a villain in court.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: The evil kind. He has two under his eyes, and is an irredeemable monster.
Graceful Loser: If one tiny bit of credit can be given to him as a person, it's that he takes his defeat surprisingly well. This is because he genuinely believes he'll be able to get away scot free after he uses his connections to weave his way out of trouble.
Greed: His defining personality trait. He loves money and power, no matter what he has to do to obtain it.
Hammerspace: He has a bottle of wine in his pocket, how he kept it there is anyone's guess.
Hate Sink: He's a despicable murderer who destroys lives without remorse. His apparent kindness is merely a smokescreen to hide his true insidious nature. Apollo notes that he's nothing but a cruel and sadistic psychopath who corrupts everything he touches.
- Even when he's "helping" Apollo, he's still entirely smug and self-serving, and spends his testimony gaslighting and manipulating everyone to do his dirty work for him. He comes across as just as odious as he does before, despite being far less dangerous by this point.
The Hedonist: He is obsessed with luxury, and will do anything to maintain it, no matter how unethical his actions end up being.
He Knows Too Much: He killed Emily Talle for this reason, as an Interpol agent could have unraveled his criminal syndicate had she been able to report back to her superiors.
Hoist by His Own Petard: His downfall is caused by him keeping the gun he used to shoot Phoenix Wright, implicating him in two murders and one attempted murder, sealing his fate once his gang is dismantled.
Humans Are Bastards: Mags seems to believe that everyone can easily be corrupted and manipulated, being shocked when Apollo is willing to work with him to arrest Wade Waters.
Hypocrite: He'll kill anyone who betrays him yet will gladly betray anyone to save his own skin. He'll also kill people that turn on him due to him betraying them.
Insufferable Genius: He's extremely intelligent, and he knows it.
It's All About Me: He agrees to testify in the final chapter because he wants to be at the center of attention, inserting himself into a case he would otherwise have no need to have been involved in.
Jerkass: When he's done upholding his generous and polite façade, he reveals he's a selfish, petty monster who turns to abuse when he's backed into a corner.
Kick the Dog: He's needlessly cruel, due to believing he can get away with anything due to his connections.
Knight of Cerebus: The game becomes far darker once his true colors are revealed.
Make It Look Like an Accident: He burned an entire floor of his building to kill someone who was causing problems for him.
The Man Behind the Man: He's the funder of the Rivales family and the one calling the shots. This enables him to do whatever he wants with little fear of retribution.
Manipulative Bastard: He can present himself as an upstanding and moral man to everyone easily, even convincing his closest employees that he's nothing but a paragon of virtue. Brooke has to see his true colors before she even considers he may not be the idol she thought he was.
Man of Wealth and Taste: Say what you will about Mags, he does put his wealth into good furniture and decorations, which he offers to give to Phoenix and Apollo in an attempt to pacify them.
Moral Myopia: He hates betrayal, despite having a severe case of Chronic Backstabbing Disorder.
Narcissist: He's superficially charming and able to manipulate people on a whim. He also has an intense sense of self confidence and sees others as below him.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: If he hadn't shot Phoenix Wright, Apollo wouldn't have taken over. While not as good a defense attorney as Wright, Apollo is far more obsessed with finding the truth and is willing to throw himself into harms way far more quickly, leading to Mags' downfall.
"Not So Different" Remark: Gives one to Apollo to get under his skin. It works.
Obviously Evil: His "good" façade involves offering expensive gifts to people instead of actually being a kind person. He also looks very sinister with the scars under his eyes.
Opportunistic Bastard: If given the chance, he'll use any situation that presents itself to turn things in his favor, regardless of the lives lost or ruined due to this. His reaction to finding out that someone stole his murder victim's briefcase is to use that as a motivation as to why they're the "killer."
Punny Name: Magnate. Nathan is a rich CEO and enterpenur.
Purple Is Powerful: He wears purple and is an extremely influencial man.
Refuge in Audacity: His acts in the fifth chapter. He tries to strike a plea deal and turn against his henchman by providing vital testimony against him. In said testimony, he admits to even more crimes and boasts about how he's a remorseless psychopath who is responsible for everything that has happened so far. He expects to be released instantly after Waters is caught, despite clearly having the intention to go right back to his evil ways. Obviously, he isn't released due to his actions, with the most he can hope to achieve being taking the death penalty off the table. Apollo is shocked by this act of brazeness, realising that Mags only helped him to spite him while also giving himself a platform to brag about his misdeeds.
Sadist: Mags adores death and destruction, reacting with glee when those who get in his way are murdered or tormented, even if they happen to be his own employees.
Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: He believes he can get out of jail early by using the Rivales to intimidate the judge into lessening his sentence. This creates the need for Apollo to dismantle his criminal syndicate before he succeeds.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: He tries to bribe his way out of difficult situations. If that doesn't work, he'll resort to murder.
Serial Killer: He's killed two people by his own hand and killed two others by indirect means. This is not to mention the many people killed due to his actions.
The Social Darwinist: He genuinely believes that if you're strong enough, you have the right to control everything. Anyone that gets in his way is crushed, which he justifies as them being inferior to them.
Smug Snake: He has an ego the size of his building and believes he's above the law until Apollo proves him otherwise. Even when testifying a second time, he still believes that he'll be released soon and spends a large amount of his testimony gloating about his horrible crimes.
The Sociopath: He has no empathy for anyone, breaks crimes without remorse, and is a narcissistic pathological liar who will cause limitless suffering to get his way.
Troll: An incredibly dark version of this trope. He likes to cause chaos around him, even when it could disadvantage him, for the sole purpose of watching people around him suffer.
The Unfettered: Nothing is off the table if it offers even a remote chance for him winning, be it a loss of lives or property.
Villain with Good Publicity: Until his crimes were revealed, he was seen as a caring and honest CEO by the public, with even his secetary being fooled by his charm.
Villainous Breakdown: He cracks the glass of wine he is drinking, causing it to spill all over him.
Walking Spoiler: The first spoiler about him is that he's a murderer. The second, more important one is that he's the mastermind behind everything, even the criminal underworld. Interestingly, these are revealed rather early, yet they completely change the tone of the game.
Wake-Up Call Boss: He's much harder to take down than Charles Fuzz, who was already a Wake-Up Call Boss, and cements the tone for the game being more complicated and challenging than canon.
Warm-Up Boss: Ironically, he's not the toughest cookie to crack. While he's far harder to take down than Jennifer Dilly or "Douglass Ford," he mainly serves to set the tone for Wade Waters, the Final Boss of the game.
Worthy Opponent: He sees Apollo as this, wanting to fight him in court because he craves a challenge. He even divulges information to set up a chain of events that will require him to take the stand, meaning it's certain him and Apollo will face off against each other.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: He does this to Matt Doore to stop him from revealing his involvement in Emily's death.
- He also does this to Marlow Dee when he realises that Dee was going against him. Raymond Betts and Wade Waters were also targeted for this reason, with the former being assassinated on his orders.

Brooke Keeper

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_100344_pm.png

Nathan's assistant. She cares deeply about her work. Rising the ranks from a mere employee to Mags' personal assistant, she is thrown through the wringer as she comes to terms with the sordid truth of the company she formerly revered.

Blind Obedience: She unwillingly helps Nathan Mags get away with many of his crimes due to never questioning the purpose of his actions.
Dark Is Not Evil: She wears mostly black but is only working for Nathan Mags because she believes he's a good person.
Earn Your Happy Ending: She had her worldview thrown under the ringer and went through an emotional rollercoaster after finding out that she was surrounded by some of the most evil people imaginable. She stays moral and tries to make the best of her situation and eventually takes control of Red Co. with the intention of redeeming its public image.
Good Counterpart: To April May. They're both secretaries who stand by their boss no matter what, even covering for them in court when they're under investigation. The biggest difference is that Keeper is a genuinely good person who had no idea who she was enabling and is utterly disgusted when she realizes the truth.
Heel–Face Turn: She instantly betrays Nathan when she sees how evil he is, fixing her testimony to incriminate him for his crimes.
Horrible Judge of Character: She trusts Nathan Mags completely, despite him being an incredibly evil man who is willing to murder and ruin anyone to get his way.
Hypercompetent Sidekick: She's an extremely good receptionist, despite being completely unaware of what type of person her boss is.
Loving a Shadow: She admires who Nathan Mags presents himself as, refusing to believe that Mags is really a cold sociopath willing to destroy innocent lives for a miniscule monetary gain. She grows out of this when his actions are brought to light.
Married to the Job: She was obsessed with her career as a receptionist that she neglected every other part of her life to work for Mags to the best of her abilities. Even when he's arrested, she dedicates all her time to salvaging the company and restoring it to the respectful position it was in before Mags joined forces with the mob.
My God, What Have I Done?: She reacts poorly when she realises that she inadvertedly helped Mags get away with some of his crimes, blaming herself for some of his actions.
Nice Guy: She's a very friendly and helpful woman, despite working for someone the polar opposite of her morally. She even apologises for being manipulated once Nathan Mags' heinousness is revealed to the public.
Obliviously Evil: She had no idea she was covering up for such a loathsome man. Once she realizes her mistake, she turns against her boss and helps bring him to justice.
Punny Name: Bookkeeper. She's the receptionist and manager of Red. co.
Sheep in Sheep's Clothing: She's as friendly as she seems, just hopelessly naïve. Apollo is relieved to find out she was truly unaware of how evil her boss was, only supporting him because she genuinely believed he was kind to her.
Token Good Teammate: She's the only member of Red Co. who is not a total scumbag.
Undying Loyalty: Nathan Mags is her idol and she will go all out to protect him. She eventually breaks free of this when she finally discovers how evil he is.
Workaholic: She's a hardworking young woman without many other hobbies outside of being a receptionist. This is lampshaded by Apollo during court.

A Turnabout of Chance

Ness Tinline

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_102928_pm.png

The victim. He was the next in line for the Rivales Family. He plays a more major role in the fourth chapter, manipulating Edward Crooke into taking a case for a clearly guilty client.

Affably Evil: Surprisingly, he was actually a genuine friend to Edward Crooke, being shocked that Crooke wasn't as evil as he was. He can be rather friendly to those on his good side, providing they share his amoral views on success.
Ambition Is Evil: He wanted power and money and went about getting it in the most destructive and ruthless way imaginable.
Asshole Victim: He's a ruthless mobster who is killed by Tristian Rivales, a man he was incredibly cruel to.
Beard of Evil: It's smaller than most, but it's there. Tinline's also a rather amoral person.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: In chapter 4, he seems like a decent, if slightly amoral man. He's actually a cruel opportunist who is willing to ruin innocent lives if it benefits him or those close to him.
Bullying a Dragon: He decided to antagonise Tristan Rivales, an emotionally unstable teenager with access to his father's resources. It goes about as well as you'd expect.
The Dragon: To Vito Rivales. He's even next in line to being the don of the Rivales family.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: He's shocked that Crooke is upset with inadvertently ruining someone's life, thinking he would be happy he's now on his way to being a wealthy man.
Evil Counterpart: To Larry Butz. He's a goofy childhood friend like Larry, but also a ruthless opportunist with no qualms about ruining other people for personal gain.
Evil Former Friend: He was this to Edward Crooke. Their relationship soured immensely once Crooke realised that Tinline had lured him into doing the mob's bidding.
Evil Redhead: He's got red hair and is an extremely amoral man.
Fatal Flaw: His inability to properly judge people turns out to be his undoing. He tries to corrupt Edward Crooke, who is uncomfortable with doing the Rivales' bidding and eventually betrays them. His last fatal mistake is not realising how dangerous and emotionally unstable Tristan could be, and turning his back to him after insulting him to his face. This gets him killed.
From Nobody to Nightmare: He went from a small crook to a feared mafioso.
Horrible Judge of Character: He thinks that the teenager he's recently disinherited will take it well when he insults him to his face. He also misjudges Edward Crooke, genuinely believing he'll shed his humanity for power.
Karmic Death: He is killed by the man he disinherits.
Manipulative Bastard: He's able to play others like a fiddle, despite coming across like a total loser.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Him joining the Rivales family causes the family to fall apart, as his death and the arrest of Vito and Tristan mean that there's nobody left to run the syndicate.
Not the Fall That Kills You…: Subverted. It actually was the fall that killed him. The knife was stuck into him afterwards.
Punny Name: Ness Tinline is next in line to the Rivales family.
Too Dumb to Live: He turns his back to an emotionally unstable teenager he's recently belittled and takes a smoke while looking out the balcony. It goes about as well as you'd expect.

Shay Dee

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101616_pm.png

A mysterious man with a connection to the Rivales family. He is the mastermind behind the theft of the record room documents, even if he played no hand in Timothy's death. Almost assassinated by Shelly De Killer as well as Charles Fuzz and nearly arrested for a murder he didn't comitt, Dee feels the grasp of Mags closing in on him througout the game before being liberated by Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes.

Accidental Hero: He sends Charles Fuzz to retrieve some files about a case where his brother was killed, forcing Wade Waters to kill the disgraced detective before he can tie the knots together. What makes this especially ironic, is that Fuzz was on the way to murder him. Because of this, he is able to offer Apollo information that reveals Wade Waters is still alive, putting away the final criminal of Mags' syndicate.
A Lighter Shade of Black: He's a criminal, yet far far less evil than Nathan Mags or Vito Rivales.
Affably Evil: He's on the wrong side of the law, but is a genuinely friendly person so long as you stay on his good side.
Anti-Villain: He is a criminal and willing to do amoral deeds, yet he has a strong sense of honor and is a decent person at heart. Compared to those above him on the criminal ladder, he's a saint.
Black-and-Grey Morality: He's dark grey against the Rivales family and Mags' syndicate who represent black. He's working for them for personal reasons and is willing to help take them down, despite being a criminal himself.
Bullying a Dragon: He infiltrates the mob in order to learn the inner workings and use them to suit his own ends. This almost gets him killed by Shelley De Killer, when Douglas Ford finds out he forged Mags' signature to get Charles Fuzz to steal some files for him.
Dark and Troubled Past: He was an orphan, with his brother taking care of him until he was arrested and executed for murdering Wade Waters.
Dark Is Evil: Evil's a bit of a stretch, but he's not a good person at all. He also wears black clothing.
Even Evil Has Standards: The Rivales family disgusts him, and he only works for them because he has nobody else to turn to. He also abhors the idea of murder.
Evil Counterpart: He's this to Stan Talle. Stan is willing to break the law in the pursuit of justice, though he tries to stop before everything gets too out of hand. Dee is willing to immerse himself in a life of crime and allow terrible things to happen if it leads him closer to the truth.
Evil vs. Evil: His conflict with the Rivales family and Mags' syndicate. He's definitely not a paragon of virtue, but his enemies are much worse than he is.
Good Lawyers, Good Clients: A hard and realistic subversion. He's guilty of forgery, dozens of petty crimes, and theft by proxy, being a high ranking mobster to boot. He isn't a murderer and joined the mob out of necessity and a desire to uncover the truth. Apollo and Athena are suspicious of him but both of them understand that he may be able to bring the mob down, as amoral as he may be.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: He's got one on the left side of his face.
Heel–Face Revolving Door: He's opportunistic, and will side with whoever can help him the most, be it the mob or law enforcement.
Karma Houdini: He gets away with his crimes, though this is probably because the other criminals in the game make him look like a saint by comparison.
Manipulative Bastard: He tricked Charles Fuzz into stealing confidential files for him and used his mob connections to gain information about classified information. He's also able to get Apollo to defend him despite being guilty of every crime but the one he was accused of.
Punny Name: Shady. He's rather suspicious and mysterious.
Truth in Television: Orphans or people from broken households are more likely to become members of organised crime due to their desire to have a family or people to look after them.
- Even if you're well intentioned, joining such a dangerous and illegal line of work will force you to commit increasingly severe crimes in order to keep your cover from getting blown. You'll end up being evil yourself, regardless of what your motivation is.
Token Good Teammate: Or token teammate who isn't completely evil. He's a mobster, yet he doesn't get involved in severe crimes like murder and is trying to seek justice for his brother's unjust execution. He also provides help to Apollo, despite the fact that doing this could have easily cost him his life.
Tragic Villain: He's undoubtely a bad person, though his circumstances and desperation to seek justice for unfortunate events in his life make him rather sympathetic, despite the crimes he's involved in.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Him tricking Charles Fuzz into stealing some files for him causes Victor Timothy's death and sets the whole game's plot into motion. It does help to bring down the criminal underworld though.
Walking Spoiler: He's the person who (inadvertedly) set the game's events into motion.

Vito Rivales

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101815_pm.png

The don of the Rivales family. His terminal cancer causes him to go to drastic measures to secure his family legacy, even if it means causing a sucsession crisis between his enforcer and son.

Abusive Parent: He loves his son, but still belittles him and refuses to offer him support or unconditional love, leading to his son killing his apprentice to try and take his place.
All for Nothing: His extreme actions to protect his son lead to his criminal syndicate falling apart with him, with all his schemes and strategies ending up worthless.
Asshole Victim: A non fatal example. He loses everything he has ever worked for and spends his last moments in jail, though he completely deserves everything that happens to him.
Disc-One Final Boss: He's the penultimate boss of the third chapter, taking a while to go down. However, he's not the main killer and his son is arrested for the murder shortly after Vito is defeated in court.
The Don: Of the Rivales family.
The Dragon: To Nathan Mags. He does his dirty work in exchange for getting funding from him.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: It's debatable how much he really cares for Tristan, but it's hard to deny that deep down, he has at least some love for the little shit, even going out of his way to try to defend him in court.
Expy: Of Ernest Amano. They're both the leaders of powerful groups who are being investigated by Interpol, with the Interpol agents searching for a reason to do a full investigation on their organizations. They're both brought down because their sons are liabilities and end up losing everything by incriminating themselves in the process to try and deflect blame from their children.
Fatal Flaw: His obsession with protecting his legacy and managing his syndicate causes him to neglect his son and turns him into a volatile and homicidal man. Being unable to form healthy bonds with other people leads to him relying too much on a man that ends up getting killed, with the only other successor being put in jail with him, ensuring the Rivales will be dismantled after his death.
Faux Affably Evil: He originally seems like a polite, if potentially dangerous man. He's actually a ruthless mobster who only cares for those directly connected to his syndicate.
From Nobody to Nightmare: He went from a low level gangster to one of the most powerful men in the criminal underworld.
Hate Sink: He's even more despicable as his son. He's a cruel and ruthless mobster whose neglect of his own child leads to him becoming an insecure psychopath. He's also smug jerk willing to kidnap and murder to get his way, almost killing Apollo to stop him from revealing his crimes. When finally cornered in court, he spends his last moments on the stand taunting and berating Apollo to his face.
Hoist by His Own Petard: He inadvertently incriminates his son by trying too hard to defend him, leading to the two of them being arrested.
Humiliation Conga: He is diagnosed with a terminal illness, his second in command is murdered by his son, his son is arrested for murder and he himself is arrested for being an accomplice. His last moments on Earth involve him witnessing his criminal empire and all his connections collapse with him being powerless to do anything but watch helplessly.
Jerkass: He's a cruel and egotistical man who only cares about status and power, being willing to harm innocents if they get in his way.
Jerk Ass Has A Point: He's right that his son is not worthy of being his apprentice, even if he does this in the cruellest way possible.
Knight of Cerebus: When he's around, the game becomes a lot darker.
Laser-Guided Karma: He ruined many lives in a desperate attempt to gain power. At the end of the third chapter, his life is ruined and he's lost all his power.
Malevolent Masked Man: His mask covers half his face, and he is an incredibly evil man.
Meaningful Appearance: He has a fancy top hat to go with his sophisticated appearance.
Obviously Evil: He's a mob boss with a sinister mask that covers half his face. It's not surprising in the least when he's revealed to be as evil as he looks.
Papa Wolf: He holds Athena hostage and tries to kill Apollo when he realizes his son is the true culprit in a ploy to direct blame towards himself.
Secretly Dying: He's got a terminal illness, meaning he needs to find a replacement to carry on his criminal syndicate.
Shout-Out: His name is likely a reference to Vito Corleone, the most famous mob boss in fiction.
Worf Had the Flu: He's a feared mafia boss but due to his terminal cancer, he has to rely on schemes with an immediate outcome instead of the meticulous plans he's been involved with in the past. This makes it far easier to defeat him, as his desperation to preserve his legacy in such a short time leads to him having a far flimsier failsafe.
Your Days Are Numbered: He's aware that he's dying and is trying to find a replacement before he kicks the bucket.

Tristan Rivales

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101857_pm.png

Vito's son. He hides his ruthless nature behind an emo facade, brutally murders Ness Tinline, and writes bad poetry. He's the third killer in the game and the mid-game antagonist, serving as a Breather Boss after his formidable father is taken down in court.

Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: He seems like a gloomy teenager who doesn't care about anything that's going on around him but he's actually a cunning little shit who will resort to murder to get his way.
Bullying a Dragon: He does this by complete accident, framing a man who is actually a master assassin for murder. He's fortunate that Shelley flees before he can deal with Tristan for this act.
Dark Is Evil: He has black hair, wears gloomy and dim clothes and is rotten to the core.
Dumbass Teenage Son: He's nowhere near as intelligent as he thinks he is and does more to destroy his alibi than Apollo and Athena. He's also nineteen years old.
The Eeyore: He sucks the joy out of the air whenever he's on screen. Even Athena becomes miserable when he's around.
Emo Teen: He's very pessimistic and gloomy. Subverted, as this is actually an act to make him seem harmless.
Epic Fail: He does such an atrocious job at defending himself once the training wheels are off that Apollo is able to easily defeat him after only a few short testimonies.
Evil Gloating: His last resort when he thinks he is in the clear. He isn't and gets thoroughly trashed by Apollo and Franziska shortly after.
Evil Laugh: He gets one when his true colours are revealed. It's rather unsettling.
Evil vs. Evil: The man he kills was a dangerous mobster, though Tristian isn't exactly much more morally sound than Ness was.
Expy: Of Matt Engarde. They're both young adults who are far more ruthless and evil than they originally appear, and they both have bangs that cover one of their eyes. They're brought down due to greatly overestimating their abilities and getting absolutely pummeled in court.
Facial Horror: He slices at his face when caught, like Matt Engarde. It isn't pretty.
Fatal Flaw: His overconfidence bites him in the ass spectacularly. He picks a fight with a man far more powerful than him, only winning because he caught the man off guard. Not learning from his mistake, he somehow thinks he can take Apollo Justice on in court, getting absolutely obliterated by the horn-hair Attorney.
Faux Affably Evil: He seems friendly enough, if a bit depressing. He's actually a really unlikable bastard who cares only about power and self gratification.
Freudian Excuse: His dad saw him as unworthy to be his successor, leading to him turning to ruthless measures to prove him wrong, involving murdering someone to secure the rights to the family for himself.
Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: This does nothing to humanize him, as he's still a petulant and dangerous young man whose unpredictable temperament could have caused a catastrophic outcome had he been allowed to lead the Rivales syndicate.
Hate Sink: He might have a somewhat tragic backstory, but he's also a cowardly and smug idiot who antagonizes and belittles people far more competent and intelligent by himself. Wiping the smug Slasher Smile off his face is an immensely satisfying moment.
His Own Worst Enemy: His testimony is abysmal, with him being more interested in belittling the defense rather than actually trying to get himself out of his predicament. This leads to Apollo absolutely eviscerating him in court.
Manipulative Bastard: Like Matt Engarde, he's a surprisingly good actor, being able to trick Apollo and Athena into thinking he's just a harmless teenager. Apollo begrudgingly admits he did a good job once his personality is revealed to have just been an act.
Meaningful Name: Tristan means "sad" or "sorrowful," a fitting name for his initial personality or a gloomy and cynical goth teenager. This turns out to be an act, as he's defined more by envy and entitlement rather than pessimism.
The Millstone: He's dumb enough to dismantle the Rivales family in mere months by killing the far more capable successor and getting his cancer-stricken father arrested.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Him screwing up so badly allows his father to be arrested while trying to protect him, leading to the Rivales syndicate collapsing.
No-Sell: Franziska's whip doesn't work on him, a first in the series. Considering he's an Emo Teen who took a knife to the arm like a champ, this is to be expected.
Oh, Crap!: When he realizes his father can't bail him out, he freaks out.
Slasher Smile: When he reveals his true colors, he sports a truly terrifying smirk.
Smug Snake: He's far too cocky for his own good, as to be expected of an overly sheltered 19 year old. This comes back to bite him in the worst way possible.
Stupid Crooks: He's woefully inept as a criminal, leading to him being eviscerated in court by Apollo once his dad can no longer protect him.
Teens Are Monsters: He's 19 and a vile little bastard.
The Unfavorite: He was this to Vito, who choose Ness over him.
Villainous Breakdown: He slices his face with his fingernails in frustration when exposed, like a more restrained version of Matt Engarde's breakdown.
Walking Spoiler: He's far more dangerous than he seems.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: His desperation to please his father leads to him taking extreme measures to secure the family for himself.

Anne Tea

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_102306_pm.png

A dealer and an expert poker player. She is a witness to the murder and despite her stoic demenour, she's not related to the insidious criminals who reside on the casino's higher floors.

The Ace: She's an excellent dealer and poker player, and one of the main sources of income for the casino. She's rumored to be almost as good as Phoenix Wright, who is renowned for his excellent poker skills.
Dark Is Not Evil: She's a bit aloof, but is by far the least evil out of everyone associated with Nathan Mags, due to having nothing to do with his or the Rivales criminal activities.
Hammerspace: Her sleeves somehow have a bunch of poker chips inside them. How they stay there is anyone's guess.
Must Have Nicotine: She is a smoker, and frequently takes breaks to get her fix. This leads to her finding the body before it can be disposed of.
Punny Name: Ante, as in up the ante, a common strategy/bluff when betting in casino games.
Spanner in the Works: Her stopping for a smoke break leads to her spotting the body before anyone can get rid of it. This leads to the murder becoming far easier to solve than it could have been.
The Stoic: She doesn't show much emotion, which is helpful for someone who works under the mob.
- Not So Stoic: Realistically, she doesn't react well to seeing a dead body, and passes out for a while.
Punny Name: Ante, as in up the ante, a fitting name for a card dealer.

Turnabout Regrets

Edward Crooke

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_101658_pm.png

A defense attorney that has connections to the Rivales Family. He's the playable attorney in the fourth chapter, defending Matt Doore from a murder charge. He's an enigmatic and sinister figure throughout his appearances before becoming a surprise ally to the protagonists during the final chapter.

A Lighter Shade of Black: He's incredibly corrupt, though he is unwilling to sink to the depths that Mags and the Rivales participate in.
Amoral Attorney: He's willing to work for the mob to uphold his status.
Anti-Villain: He enables some truly horrible people, but deep down is disgusted with who he truly is and is desperately trying to find a way to make up to the people he's let down.
Being Evil Sucks: He's gotten everything he's wanted from working for the mob, but his guilt and inability to prevent his clients from doing terrible things has taken a toll on his mental health. By the fifth chapter, he's become cold and withdrawn.
Better Off with the Bad Guys: Completely averted. Edward Crooke is far wealthier and more respected than he was as a public defender, yet he's haunted by some of the horrors the people he's helped acquit have committed.
Deal with the Devil: He made one with Nathan Mags, offering to defend Matt Doore in exchange for a better standard of living. To say this has taken a toll on his mental health is an understatement.
Detective Patsy: He was hired by the mastermind of Raymond Bett's murder, Nathan Mags, in order to throw the blame onto someone else. Crooke went along with this, not knowing that the person he was throwing the blame at was innocent.
Face–Heel Turn: He went from a well meaning but ineffective public defender to a ruthless mob lawyer in the span of a year.
Fallen Hero: By the time Apollo and co. meet him, he's fallen deep into corruption. Sad, as he started out as a genuinely moral lawyer.
Forced into Evil: He's tricked by his best friend into defending an associate of Nathan Mags. By this point, he's forced to do the CEO's bidding, lest he face the wrath of the Rivales family.
From Nobody to Nightmare: He went from an inefficient public defender who couldn't beat Winston Payne to a feared mob attorney who could get a known killer acquitted.
Heel–Face Turn: He turns in his badge after realising all the corruption he's participated in and decides to dedicate the rest of his life into finding if Faith Truman is alive and apologising to her if she is.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's a bitter and corrupt man, but deep inside, there's a degree of humanity left in him.
Knight of Cerebus: Even with darker antagonists like Vito Rivales and Nathan Mags, there were still funny moments throughout the game. Once Edward Crooke's chapter comes along, all the comedy vanishes and the game becomes far bleaker.
My Greatest Failure: Letting Mark Fallen take the fall for a crime he didn't commit and alienating Faith Truman before her disappearance.
My God, What Have I Done?: His reaction when he realizes he helped get an innocent man convicted for his client's crime.
Love Redeems: His admiration for Truman makes him see the error of his ways and decide to dedicate the rest of his life to finding her, be she dead or alive.
Offscreen Moment of Awesome: He somehow manages to reverse a verdict of a criminal proven guilty by Phoenix Wright. while the corrupt Judge probably had a hand in it, it's still an impressive feat.
Pet the Dog: He offers some valuable advice to Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice, helping them arrest his boss once and for all despite getting little benefit from doing so.
Punch-Clock Villain: He's a ruthless defense attorney, but a far more decent guy outside of court.
Punny Name: Crooke, as in crook. Edward is not the most legitimate lawyer.
Ship Tease: With Faith Truman. This is completely shattered when he's tricked into defending a guilty client.
Walking Spoiler: He's a far more complicated and layered person than he seems.

Faith Truman

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103022_pm.png

A prosecutor who cares about the truth over anything else. She is the prosecutor in the flashback portion of the fourth chapter, and despite her almost certain death by the time of the present setting, she has left a lasting impression on Edward Crooke, who seeks to find her and aplogise for his actions.

Cleavage Window: She's taken a page out of the Mia Fey book of having an open jacket. She's a more subdued example, as her bra is more conservative.
Dark Is Not Evil: She wears mostly black and dark red, and is a very morally sound person, especially for a prosecutor.
Fiery Redhead: She is determined to find the truth at all costs, and has bright red hair.
The Lost Lenore: She goes missing, with her fate unknown. Even though Crooke only spoke to her once, she left enough of an impression on him that her disappearance shakes him up hard.
Morality Pet: To Edward Crooke, who was almost swayed by her way of thinking. Once she disappears, he becomes far more ruthless.
Only Sane Man: She's the only person in the courtroom that realizes the trial is a sham.
Punny Name: True man. She believes in truth and justice over anything else, even if it means she'll lose the case. She also has faith in people, like trusting that Edward Crooke would see past the corruption of his friends.
Ship Tease: With Edward Crooke. This is shattered when she believes he purposefully defended a guilty man.
Smoking Is Cool: She's a smoker, and a badass prosecutor.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: She's an honest and selfless prosecutor who goes missing shortly after she finishes her trial.
Uncertain Doom: Her fate is never revealed, as her body was never found. While it's unlikely she's alive, Crooke has hope that she may be after finding out that Wade Waters faked his death.
What the Hell, Hero?: She gives one to Crooke when he inadvertedly gets an innocent man arrested. She refuses to believe he was set up and storms off feeling betrayed.

Raymond Bett

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103253_pm.png

One of Nathan Mags' employees. He was killed by Matt Doore during a trade.

Asshole Victim: Considering who his boss was, it's hard to feel sorry for him when he kicks the bucket.
Bullying a Dragon: The Dragon being Nathan Mags. He pays dearly for this mistake.
Punny Name: Betray. He's a smuggler that betrays his boss.
Too Dumb to Live: You would think he would know better than betraying one of the most powerful and ruthless men in the country.

Mark Fallen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103104_pm.png

A security guard and impulsive thief who witnesses Bett's murder. He's abruptly fingered as the suspect and arrested for murder, despite being innocent of the charge.

Affably Evil: Well, evil is a stretch, but he's a collected and friendly guy who succumbed to greed in the worst possible moment. It makes it all the sadder when he's arrested for a murder he's clearly innocent for, as he was a petty thief at the very worst.
Anti-Villain: He stole some money, but was genuinely remorseful and offered to give it back. Too bad he was being set up to take the fall for someone else.
Disproportionate Retribution: A murder sentence instead of a sentence for theft is a bit excessive.
The Generic Guy: He's very restrained personality wise for a suspect/witness. This is foreshadowing the fact he's not the killer, as the chapter's real culprit has a far more defined and recognisable personality.
Miscarriage of Justice: He stole some money, but didn't murder Raymond Bett. He certainly doesn't deserve the extremely harsh sentence he got.
Mugging the Monster: He inadvertedly stole a briefcase belonging to the most dangerous man in the country. It's safe to say he paid the price for it.
Jaywalking Will Ruin Your Life: Grabbing a briefcase with the intention to steal it before deciding not to gets him thrown in jail for murder someone else was responsible for.
Oh, Crap!: He has one when he realises that he's about to be convicted for a crime he didn't commit.
Punny Name: Fallen, as in the fall guy for Matt Doore.
Villainous Breakdown: A rare example when his breakdown is for something he doesn't deserve. He's a petty thief who freaks out when he's decided as the fall guy for Matt Doore.
What Happened to the Mouse?: It's unclear if he ever got a retrial due to new evidence showing Nathan Mags' involvement in manipulating the court proceedings.

Turnabout before the dawn

Marlo Dee

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_104148_pm.png

Shay's brother. He was executed before the events of the game. Despite being long dead, Shay's quest to avenge him leads to the game's events rolling into action.

Anti-Villain: He's a petty crook with mafia ties who just wanted to look out for his brother.
Bald of Evil: While he's not as evil as he seems to be, he's still not a morally upstanding person in the slightest.
Dark and Troubled Past: His parents died and him and his younger brother were orphans struggling to survive. The two of them were forced to turn to crimes to look after themselves, with Nathan Mags taking them under his wing. This led to them getting sucked into the mob, with Marlo eventually being wrongfully executed for a murder he didn't commit.
Dark Is Evil: Well, kind of evil. He's amoral as hell and wears mostly black clothing, but has a heart underneath his criminal exterior.
Even Evil Has Standards: He refuses to stoop as low as killing someone, which makes it shocking to Shay when he does the deed. It turns out that Marlo was guilty of a far lesser crime, helping someone fake their death and taking the fall for their "murder."
Morality Pet: To Shay. Shay becomes a lot more amoral and ruthless in order to uncover the truth about the OG-4 incident.
Walking Spoiler: There's far more to him than merely being a murderer. Namely the fact he's not even one.

Douglas Ford/Wade Waters

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_105206_pm.png

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103850_pm.png

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_104547_pm.png

The "victim" of the OG-4 incident. He's actually Wade Waters, having faked his death and returned under a new identity. He killed Charles Fuzz to steal the file about his case and kidnapped Phoenix Wright and Franziska Von Karma to stop them from revealing his identity.

A Lighter Shade of Black: He's still very evil, though far less despicable than Mags, who he rightfully describes as pure evil.
All for Nothing: His attempts to hide both his identity and himself from Nathan Mags end up being revealed in the span of a few days.
Alliterative Name: Wade Waters.
Bullying a Dragon: He has the balls to defraud Nathan Mags of a large sum of money, knowing how dangerous the magnate is. Amazingly, he isn't murdered by Mags for this.
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: He rivals Nathan Mags in this regard, turning on everyone he comes into contact with. He betrayed Marlow Dee to escape Nathan Mags' wrath, and then set up Shay Dee to be arrested for murder to make sure his identity was not discovered.
Consummate Liar: Impressively, he's shown to be extremely skilled at planning ahead, having a believable response to every accusation thrown his way and prolonging the trial by throwing in enough plausible deniability that it proves to be a massive challenge to trip him up. If it wasn't for Mags spitefully helping catch him, he may have gotten away with his crimes.
Even Evil Has Standards: He utterly despises Nathan Mags due to how evil he is and only antagonizes people as morally bankrupt as himself, being one of the few villains in the game who doesn't intentionally harm an innocent person either physically (such as Charles Fuzz and Nathan Mags) or by his actions (such as the Vito and Tristian Rivales.)
Eviler than Thou: He's this to Marlow Dee, due to the fact he's a murderer rather than a petty crook.
Evil Genius: He's an extremely cunning and capable criminal, taking months to take down even with some of the most capable law enforcement officials and a criminal mastermind on his tail.
Evil vs. Evil: He's a murderer and fraudster going against a criminal mastermind, with several bodies piling up due to his and Mags' actions. He is also Charles Fuzz's killer, with Fuzz being a murderer who was on his way to kill a second person.
Fake Brit: An in-universe example. He's not British.
Faking the Dead: He's as dead as he is British.
Final Boss: He's the last opponent taken down in the game as well as the person who puts up the longest fight out of all the witnesses encountered in court.
Foreshadowing: If you pay close attention to what he says in his first court appearance, you may be able to notice that his testimony doesn't hold up in the slightest. This is left unquestioned for a long period of time, yet still serves as a hint that Ford isn't who he seems.
Gratuitous English: He uses outdated cockney slang almost every sentence. This is actually just a careful ploy to confuse and annoy others as well as mask his intelligence.
I Am Very British: He speaks with a strong cockney accent. Absolutely subverted, as he's putting on such an accent to hide who he really is.
Karma Houdini Warranty: He gets away from Nathan Mags and nearly evades blame for Charles Fuzz's death, taking almost a year to capture due to his sneakiness.
Magic Plastic Surgery: Subverted. He underwent facial reconstruction though the results were realistic.
Master Actor: He does a fantastic job at putting up the facade of a British immigrant, only cracking once the pressure starts to pile up on him.
Meaningful Name: Douglas means black water, Waters that Wade could theoretically Wade. It's a subtle clue to his true identity. Whether Waters was oblivious to this or merely being smug is unknown, as most Ace Attorney characters canon or fanon tend to leave clues in their fake names.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: In kidnapping Phoenix Wright and Franziska Von Karma, he inadvertedly let them discover a file he'd stolen from Nathan Mags, revealing his true identity to the two of them.
Obfuscating Stupidity: He seems like an eccentic and dimwitted immigrant when he's really an extremely ruthless criminal able to concoct complex plans that can trick even the most powerful man in the criminal underworld.
Oh Me Accents Slipping: His cockney accent conspicuosly disappears when he's cornered.
Punny Name: Wade Waters, as in wading waters. This is a reference to how he was able to navigate a strong current while he was faking his death.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: He gains this once his facade is broken.
The Reveal: He's Wade Waters, the man that everyone assumed Marlow Dee had murdered.
Turns Red: His hair color changes once his identity is revealed. He also gains a lightning motif and red eyes.
Villainous Breakdown: His hair flairs up and his eyes blink, with his lightning symbolism going haywire.
Walking Spoiler: There's far more to him than there originally seems, starting with the fact that he's Wade Waters assuming a new identity after faking his own death, and not even a tiny bit British.

Jennifer Dilly

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_10_07_103947_pm.png

A workaholic who is a high-ranked member of a large company. She supposedly witnessed the murder of Charles Fuzz. In actuality, she was the star witness in the Marlow Dee trial, with that trial still in her mind during the present case.

Berserk Button: Do NOT compare her to Wesley Stickler. Knowing how obnoxious and pathetic Stickler is, it's hard to blame her for her offense at this comparison.
Dark Is Not Evil: She wears mostly black and is a bit stubborn, but is a good person who stays on the right side of the law.
Gossipy Hens: She likes to chat about workplace rumours with her employees, regardless of the situation she is currently in.
No Celebrities Were Harmed: Her name may be a reference to Jennifer Tilly, an actress and poker player.
Punny Name:: Jen Dilly. Dilly Jen. Dilligent.
Refuge in Audacity: Somehow, she sees no problem with gossiping with some people over the phone in the middle of a murder trial. Apollo and Edgeworth are so stunned by this behaviour that they don't immediately question it.
The Stoic: She isn't a very emotional person, coming across as professional but distant in her dialogue.
Workaholic: She is very committed to her job, taking phone calls during court.

Characters / Ace Attorney: Beyond the Shadows

Returning characters

Turnabout Recovery

The Smouldering Turnabout

A Turnabout of Chance

Turnabout Regrets

Turnabout before the dawn

Previous

Index

Next

Characters / Ace Attorney: Beyond the Shadows

Edit Locked

Returning characters

Turnabout Recovery

The Smouldering Turnabout

A Turnabout of Chance

Turnabout Regrets

Turnabout before the dawn

Previous

Index

Next