History Characters / PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTheContemptOfCourt

* PunnyName: From the borrowed German word schadenfreude, likely in reference to his extremely sudden mood changes.

* AntiVillain: [[spoiler: Downplayed. His motives of following his dreams are certainly admirable (and, deep down, purehearted), it's just too bad he follows that directive way too literally.]]

* HarassingPhoneCall
* HiddenVillain

%%* KubrickStare

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Brisbane even refers to him as such.

* MoralDissonance (See IDidWhatIHadToDo above)

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: If he's to be believed, [[spoiler: Hemlock never WANTED to kill in the first place. He claims to have abandoned his own morality in order to preserve his happiness, [[MoralDissonance but has convinced himself this as a GOOD thing]].]]

* SpotOfTea: Being very British, he enjoys tea and mentions it on occasion. He prefers drinking it from a mug rather than the typical cup, however.

An ex-prosecutor who faced off against Vincenzo in a flashback trial. An arrogant and thoroughly unlikeable individual (in-universe at least -- Vulper is actually considered the most beloved character in the game by fans).

* HateSink: What Cardiovore intended him to be. The result however was quite the [[BreakoutVillain opposite]]...

** [[spoiler: He also has the distinction of being a guilty defendant who gets a Not Guilty verdict for his crime, similar to Cosney Megundal from The Great Ace Attorney. Coincidentally, both were defendants of their games’ respective third cases.]]

* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: [[spoiler: He let Cedric and his brother play with an antique musket, with tragic consequences.]]

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: By the time of [[spoiler:''Turnabout of the Snow'']], barely anyone can stand him. Even the usually confused Judge shows no patience with him.

* BerserkButton: To say he doesn't take any slightest derailment of his plans would be a ''massive'' understatement.

* BerserkButton: To say he doesn't take any slightest derailment of his plans would be a ''massive'' Understatement.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: When [[spoiler: blackmailed by Hemlock]] in the fourth case, Phoenix's behaviour is so off that [[spoiler: Edgeworth]] very quickly understands what's going on and steps in to prolong the trial.

* TookALevelInBadass: The Judge is more assertive than in the main games, willing to stand up to Vulper, Brisbane and even [[spoiler: Hemlock]].

* EvilVersusEvil: [[spoiler: Hid Vulper from Hemlock to get the enigmium for himself.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler: Of the first case, through Vulper's dealings with Bluecorp. Though this became an AbortedArc once the game was expended and Vulper became more closely tied to Aculeus and Hemlock.]]
* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Unknowingly, [[spoiler: arranged Detective Snow's demotion, hindering Hemlock's scheming within the police somewhat.]]
** Also, it's implied that he stole the second page of the DT-2, which prevented [[spoiler: Hemlock]] from finding Brisbane.

* AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent: [[spoiler: You play the beginning of the final trial as him.]]
* BackForTheFinale: In case 4, following the series' trend of having a guest prosecutor in each final case. [[spoiler: Hemlock set this whole scenario up of having Phoenix and Edgeworth be the defense and prosecution for the finale case, but why he did that remains a mystery even by the ending.]]

** When he had a choice to end the trial prematurely, with all evidence pointing to [[spoiler: Renwick]], he doesn't, pointing out that he didn't summon his witness yet, giving Wright a chance to cross-examine her.
** [[spoiler: When Hemlock blackmails Phoenix into throwing the case, Edgeworth can tell from his unusual behavior that something is up, and [[SpannerInTheWorks delays ending the trial to cross-examine his argument on why Renwick must be guilty]], even though Renwick's guilt is all but proven at that point.]]

* EvilBrit: [[spoiler: Although his British accent is only a part of his "Robert Snow" persona.]]

* DetectiveMole: [[spoiler: He turns out to be [[BigBad Lyle Hemlock]], who has been playing the character of [[InventedIndividual "Detective Snow"]] for the whole game.]]

* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler: His true identity is Hemlock, the game's main antagonist.]]
* HiddenDepths: Despite his rather lazy demeanor when doing his job, he is a rather skilled voice impressionist. [[spoiler: This foreshadows his true identity as Hemlock.]]

* InventedIndividual: [[spoiler: After he reveals himself as Hemlock, Phoenix asks him what he did with the real Snow, and he tells him that he doesn't exist; He was just an identity he made up for himself so that he could spy on the police force.]]

* MaliciousMisnaming: [[spoiler: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged.]] "Snow", the character, is just [[AccidentalMisnaming terrible at remembering names]], but Hemlock gets people's names wrong on purpose to annoy them. However, he only does so in order to make "Snow" seem more endearing; he stops doing it after he drops the disguise.]]
* MeaningfulName: Cardiovore has since revealed the pun behind his surname; [[spoiler: from the verb "snow" as in "to fool or deceive". Although he did state this was sheer coincidence as his initial reasons for Snow's name were different.]]
* MotorMouth: Has that tendency in his introductory scene, but it's most likely an act.

* UsingYouAllAlong: [[spoiler: As Detective Snow, Hemlock aids Phoenix throughout ''Contempt of Court'' for personal gain; to locate and obtain the enigmium and to take revenge upon the two Aculeus members who, in his eyes, did him wrong. Not only did he kill Cedric Maplethorpe in prison for his incompetence during Case 2, but he pins the crime on Vulper, elevating his sentence to the death penalty.]]

* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler: Mostly because he's actually Hemlock.]]

* EveryScarHasAStory: [[spoiler: Vincenzo got his after an assassination attempt from a man sent by Redd White. He survived along with fighting back.]]
* GoodScarsEvilScars: [[spoiler: The good variety.]]

* HesBack: [[spoiler: In the epilogue, he states that he plans to go back to being a lawyer again.]]

* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: Not stopping Vulper in time before he attacked Brisbane.]] It's not surprising at all he decided to quit.

** NotSoStoic: ...But not in the way you think. [[spoiler: After his acquittal, he sports a rather goofy grin, while proposing a celebration.]]
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: So unwitting that he didn't even ''know'' what he instigated and how. The whole [[spoiler: Hemlock]] plot was set in motion because [[spoiler: Vulper]] decided to frame him for Grossberg's murder.
--> [[spoiler: '''Hemlock:''']] After no leads in five years, suddenly there's an incident at Verglas Bridge... Hearing that Vincenzo Cicatrice was involved, ol' Robbie just HAD to get himself on investigation.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Never appears in person after the first case [[spoiler: except for cameo in Renwick Smith's flashback, and even then you can't interact with him]].

The prosecutor throughout ''Contempt of Court''. An irrationally angry man, Brisbane only cares about winning cases [[spoiler: in order to control his anger, as he was conditioned by Manfred von Karma who took advantage of Brisbane's then-unstable mentality to create his idea of a perfect prosecutor.]]

* AmbiguousEnding: [[spoiler: In his mid-credits scene, Brisbane is torn on what to do with the enigmium now that he has it back. He seems to have an idea on which he is hesitant, but doesn't elaborate.]]
* AmoralAttorney: A man focused only on maintaining his win record, using intimidation to get his way. Though considering who his mentor was... [[spoiler: He WILL make an exception for Vulper, however.]]

* AngryBlackMan: Actually Deconstructed once we get to Case 3. [[spoiler: Turns out he has some pretty serious anger issues brought on by past trauma. Unfortunately, he was mentored by Manfred von Karma, who told him the only way to vent his anger was to win court cases. Naturally this only makes things worse once he meets Wright...]]

* BigDamnHeroes: In the first case, he provides Phoenix with a blackmail file on [[spoiler: Vulper]] in the nick of time.
** [[spoiler: And on the last day of trial in case 4, he awakens from his coma and shows up just in time to prevent Hemlock from leaving and provide vital new insight.]]
--> '''Brisbane:''' [[spoiler: I woke up. Simple as. [[LampshadeHanging And in VERY good timing, too,]] wouldn't you say, "Your Honor"?]]
* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler: His false eye.]]
* EyeScream: [[spoiler: Courtesy of Vulper.]]
** [[spoiler: Happens again in case 4, where his enigmium eye is stolen.]]
* ChekhovsSkill: [[spoiler: As it turns out, the intimidation tactics von Karma taught him do end up coming in handy. When he shows up at the climax of case 4, he's just woken up from his coma, clearly still badly bruised and with a broken arm. Physically, he's no match for Hemlock and his goons and couldn't stop them from leaving if they tried. However, since he's so intimidating, he easily cows ''Hemlock''-- the guy who demands ultimate control of his life and refuses to listen to anyone-- into retaking his seat and continuing the argument.]]

* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: After the Hemlock trial, he saw that Hemlock's deep delusion of being happy makes him identical in what he did in his prosecutor days (venting his anger in court cases just to feel sane). As such, he resigns his job of prosecution and even states that only professionals like Phoenix and Edgeworth are the ones to make criminals be afraid of the court.]]

* IrrationalHatred: He loathes Vincenzo Cicatrice, blaming him for the loss of his eye. Let's recap: He hates him for something he literally had no control over, as he couldn't predict that [[spoiler: Vulper]] would do it.
* ItsPersonal: With Phoenix Wright, for what has happened to his mentor. And to a much bigger extent, with [[spoiler: Vulper]].

** ThemeMusicPowerUp / TriumphantReprise: [[spoiler: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s154t9cvz7A Intimidation Returns]], when he [[BigDamnHeroes shows up in court just in time]] to scare Hemlock into staying.]]

* OnlyFriend: [[spoiler: To Renwick, as revealed in The Ensnared Turnabout.]]
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: In the third case, [[spoiler: he's doing whatever he can to get Snow convicted, despite the amount of evidence proving that Vulper is the culprit.]] It's implied that this is the result of what [[spoiler: Manfred von Karma]] put him through.

* SadisticChoice: [[spoiler: During Snow's trial in Case 3, Vulper once again becomes the most likely suspect. So Brisbane is torn between persecuting the man he hates most, and winning the trial. This... puts quite a strain on him.]]
* SanitySlippage: [[spoiler: Downplayed, but during Case 3 he gets increasingly more desperate to defeat Phoenix at least once, and resorts to more and more extreme methods during the trial.]]

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: He does help Phoenix in case 1, when it becomes more and more clear that [[spoiler: the real perpetrator is Vex Vulper]]. But strictly because ItsPersonal.
* TookALevelInBadass: To the point where his present self is almost indistinguishable from what you see of him in flashbacks. [[spoiler: Until Case 3, that is.]]

** [[spoiler: He ultimately gets better by the end of the game, even sharing a laugh with Phoenix and shouting objection one more time alongside Edgeworth. He's now taking therapy sessions to cure his anger.]]

* UnstoppableRage: Finally reaches this when [[spoiler: Vex Vulper rips off his Krump mask.]]

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: By the time of [[spoiler: Turnabout of the Snow]], barely anyone can stand him. Even the usually confused Judge shows no patience with him.
* AmoralAttorney: Of the "von Karma" variety. He cares for nothing else except his reputation and his win record. [[spoiler: Then there are also his former connections with the Cohdopian Smuggling Ring...]]
* AnimeHair: [[spoiler: The back of his hair looking like a pointed tail.]]
* AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance: [[spoiler: Part of his hair looks like a pointed tail, and during his breakdown the rest forms "horns", giving him the appearence of a BigRedDevil. Which is totally appropriate.]]

* BreakoutVillain: He originally started as nothing more but a StarterVillain for the ''Contempt of Court'' series. It wasn't until later that Cardiovore significantly expanded his role in the whole game.
* CatchPhrase: "Displeased to meet you." [[spoiler: Which is used as TheReveal later.]]

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: [[spoiler: By Case 3, he's, to quote Phoenix, "gone stark raving mad". Of course, there's also a possibility that he's faking the split personality thing.]]

* CrypticConversation: [[spoiler: Again, once he completely loses it.]]
* DeadPersonImpersonation: [[spoiler: Of Titus Krump in the present.]] Played with in that [[spoiler: once Vulper goes completely nuts in Case 3, said impersonation becomes a full-blown SplitPersonality... or does it?]]
* DevilInPlainSight: Pun aside, barely anyone seems to think he might be a corrupt prosecutor [[spoiler: until he's proven to have murdered his own step-brother.]]
* DisproportionateRetribution: Killed [[spoiler: Krump]] solely because he was the reason for his first penalty in court.
* EveryScarHasAStory: Has a scar that he doesn't like showing off too much. [[spoiler: He was blackmailed by Redd White to kill Vincenzo Cicatrice. Not only he didn't succeed but he also got a scar in the process, which helps Wright identify him as Vincenzo's attacker.]]
* EvilIsPetty: Really, Vex? [[spoiler: You murder Marvin Grossberg and frame his former student for it just to spite him for your penalty?]]

* FreakOut: [[spoiler: Has an '''epic''' one when he receives his first penalty.]]
* FromNobodyToNightmare: [[spoiler: As hard as it is to imagine, Vulper truly ''did'' use to be an Average Joe and a reliable prosecutor. But then, after his [[{{Jerkass}} step-brother Jack]] blackmailed him into committing more and more crimes and abused him one time too many, Vulper snapped and became the villain we all know and love today.]]
* GoodScarsEvilScars: [[spoiler: The evil variety. And just to hammer it in, he's gained a ''second'' scar in prison that appears to resemble Vincenzo's. The second one is later revealed to have been caused by Hemlock when he knocked Vulper out in the interrogation room.]]
* HateSink: What Cardiovore intended him to be. The result however was quite the [[EnsembleDarkhorse opposite...]]
* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: Finally goes through one in The Ensnared Turnabout]]
--> '''Vulper:''' [[spoiler: Grossberg... Krump... Dammit, what is wrong with me?!]]
* INeverSaidItWasPoison: [[spoiler: Had he not blurted out the knowledge about the enigmium card being Jack's lucky charm, Vinnie probably wouldn't even consider him a suspect.]]
* InformedAbility: For what has been told us about him being a renowned prosecutor who has never lost a case in his career, he sure doesn't seem that way. He's very easy to crack under pressure, with attitude problems to boot. [[spoiler: Justified, as he achieved his record through forging evidence. Given the fact he was more focused on getting away from the crime scene, he didn't have enough time to forge it in Brisbane's trial.]]
* KillAndReplace: What he did with [[spoiler: Krump for the present-time part of case 1]].

* LastStand: During ''Turnabout of the Snow'''s final trial day, [[spoiler: or rather, what would have been the penultimate day of the case of Perry Docks and Cedric Maplethorpe's deaths if Vulper didn't suddenly confess]], Vulper makes a final plea of innocence of both murders, after he had been so adamant that he had nothing to do with either of the victim's deaths. Surprisingly, it worked because Phoenix had no decisive evidence that "screamed he [Vulper] did it".
** [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope Of course, he completely undoes it all by confessing to the murders that "The Boogeyman" committed.]] Because, Vulper was afraid that if he didn't get the electric chair, "The Boogeyman" would come for his blood, just like "The Boogeyman" did for many others. Later on, during ''The Ensnared Turnabout'', it was revealed that his former protests weren't all for nothing; Vex truly was innocent of Maplethorpe's and Docks's deaths. "The Boogeyman", known as Lyle Hemlock, did indeed frame Vex for those.]]
* LatexPerfection: [[spoiler: Disguises himself as both Vinnie and Titus this way.]]

* [[spoiler:AntiVillain]]

* MurderByMistake: [[spoiler: He intended to kill Vic Barrows because he was onto his smuggling activities, but he accidentally fired his gun upwards during the ensuing struggle, and the bullet ended up hitting Stan Nyph in the room above.]]

** NotSoStoic: [[spoiler: Underneath all that, he's a man with SEVERE psychological issues, spurring from the death of his twin brother in the past.]]

* [[spoiler: VillainousBreakdown: The courtroom shakes as Cedric looks down, sick of constantly bottling up his feelings and keeping calm--and then he suddenly starts speaking ''very'' quickly as he keeps apologizing to Maris and finally after his long-winded speech he repeatedly says "I killed Stan Nyph I killed Stan Nyph I killed Stan Nyph" while his ''face is turning gray from not taking a breath''. Finally, he collapses.]]

* %% GoodAllAlong

* %% LaserGuidedAmnesia

* ShoutOut: His whole character is one big one to ''Franchise/Ghostbusters''.

!! Thomas [[spoiler: Maplethorpe]][[quoteright:70:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thomas_4.png]]

* BigBad
* ContinuityNod: [[spoiler: In a sense. Hemlock has been compared to the phantom from ''Dual Destinies'', as both are talented mimics and both pose as lovable detective characters.]]

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: At the end of the final trial, the detonation feature of Hemlock's Grapevine app ultimately failed to activate. And why? ''A single typo in the programming code.'' He thought he was so perfect and that he could do anything he put his mind to, that he never even considered the possibility that he'd ever make a mistake (something he's outright dissociated himself with). Needless to say, his own hubris caused his downfall. It remains unknown as to whether the "digital bomb" would've [[TechnoWizard actually worked]] had the typo not been there.]]

* KubrickStare

* StartOfDarkness: Also paired with MiseryBuildsCharacter. [[spoiler: Hemlock claims to have had a thoroughly miserable upbringing. He doesn't go into detail, but he claims that as a child he never knew happiness thanks to "the way the world works". He wished he could be "someone else", and as a coping mechanism he would invent characters and pretend to ''be'' them. This led to his first experience of happiness, and fearful of losing it, he clung onto it for the rest of his life. Realizing his potential was what made him happy, he went about [[AmbitionIsEvil achieving whatever came to mind]] as a means to preserve that shred of positivity, developing a stark fear of negativity and a compulsive desire to avoid it. He developed an extremely rigid mindset as a result, believing it wasn't him who needed to change; everything else around him did. And so he would go about trying to control and change anything that didn't fit in with his view of the world, and ''actually succeeding''.]]

* WeCanRuleTogether: A very twisted version of the trope. He [[spoiler: threatens Phoenix to frame him up for the arson of the Hazakura temple, then absolve him of all charges and make Phoenix his new right-hand man instead of Smith if he doesn't play along at the trial.]]

--> '''Brisbane:''' [[spoiler: I woke up. Simple as. [[LampshadeHanging And in VERY good timing, too,]] wouldn't you say, "Your Honor"?]]

* EvilVersusEvil: [[spoiler: Hid Vulper from Hemlock to get the enigmium for himself.]] Also, unknowingly, [[spoiler: arranged Detective Snow's demotion, hindering Hemlock's scheming within the police somewhat.]]

* EvilVersusEvil: [[spoiler: Hid Vulper from Hemlock to get the enigmium for himself.]]