History TearJerker / PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice

[[caption-width-right:350:Only a country as ruthless as Khura'in can drive [[GenkiGirl Trucy]] to tears.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trucycrying.png]]

* As seen in the image for this page, your first interview with Trucy Wright in the Detention Center for her supposed murder of Mr. Reus has her sobbing. [[PlayerPunch Words can't describe on how upsetting this scene is]], especially coming from a [[BreakTheCutie cheery character like Trucy.]]

* A minor one but it's painful when Nahyuta turns the entire court against Athena. The poor girl seems to be on the verge of her despair animation. Thankfully Blackquill's there to pull her out of it before it gets that bad.

* TheReveal of Dhurke's death. Apollo has to prove a suspect disappeared from a closed chamber by channeling. Since only Dhurke and Maya were found alive in the room, and Maya is pretty much alive, Apollo comes to the conclusion that the Dhurke they met after the murder was dead all along. At first, he doesn't want to believe it. But after the judge calls for another thorough search of the murder scene, Ema reluctantly reports that Dhurke's body was found hidden in a coffin. This causes a severe breakdown to both Apollo and Nahyuta -- Apollo because Dhurke was his adoptive father; Nahyuta because he was his biological father. Apollo starts shouting "Please let my theory be wrong!" and bangs his head on the desk when the AwfulTruth is confirmed. He even goes into a BSOD and starts questioning why he became an attorney in the first place. It manages to surpass his previous low point from ''Dual Destinies'', where Clay was dead and he couldn't stop wondering if Athena did it.

-> '''Apollo:''' (I wouldn't know.)

Even after [[MilestoneCelebration 15 years]], ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' hasn't forgotten [[{{Tearjerker}} how to bring tears]] to its fans.

* Apollo's SurvivalMantra of "I'm fine!" before the start of the first trial, when it's clear that the pressure is getting to him and [[ObviouslyNotFine he's nowhere near fine.]] Couple that with Trucy and Athena's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness visibly worried reactions about him]] rather than [[ButtMonkey brushing off his concerns,]] and the whole scene becomes hard to watch.

*** And a while earlier, Tahrust screaming in despair after his wife confesses. Why? [[AllForNothing Because at that exact point he knew he]] [[DrivenToSuicide died]] [[AllForNothing for nothing]].

** Speaking of ''Dual Destinies''... That moment when you realize that Turnabout Revolution happens ''a mere five months'' after The Cosmic Turnabout. Basically Apollo lost two people close to him within a span of exactly five months and a day. [[IronWoobie Poor guy]].

** 23 Years ago Dhurke Sahdmadhi was accused of assassinating the Good Legitmate Queen Amara by the Now Evil False Queen Ga'ran and he was forced to flee to avoid a wrongful conviction and execution, 23 years later during the present, his foster son Apollo Justice manages to prove Dhurke Sahdmadhi Innocent of both the False Assassination charge and the Murder of Late Justice Minister Inga and get the False Evil Queen Ga'ran overthrown arrested and maybe sentenced for death for her Attempted Assassination of her sister, murdering Jove Justice and Minister Inga, Blasphemy for ascending to the throne and writing and passing laws without spirtual powers needed to channel spirits. But the truth of his innocence is not proven until the middle of his trial when we learn he was shot and killed by Justice Minister Inga all for being a thorn in his side for too long merely three days earlier. It is sad that Dhurke Sahdmadhi did not live long enough to see his innocence and revolution realized with his own two earthly eyes. A mere three days too late for that to happen. Instead he can only witness it from the Twilight Realm. The not guilty verdict, since he is now dead, merely means his sould was found not guilty for both attempts and his soul can finally rest in peace in the twilight realm now that Apollo cleared his name, saved Amara, Nahyuta and Rayfa, overthrown th Evil False queen Ga'ran and helped finish the roadwork for the revoltuion to change Khura'in's legal system for the better.
** Another sad one is that 15-17 years ago in 2012-2013 Dhurke left Apollo behind in America to protect him from persecution he would have faced if he was still in Khura'in for being Dhurke's Foster Son. Now 15-17 years in the present when he sees Dhurke again, he learns later that Dhurke was already killed 3 days ago by Inga. The last time Apollo saw Dhurke 15-17 years ago in 2012-2013 was the last time Apollo ever saw Dhurke alive.

* Rayfa gradually falling apart over the course of the game. She may be an arrogant BrattyHalfPint, but she genuinely wants to be the best queen and princess she can be, and it's hard to watch her repeatedly fail to live up to her own standards, which is only compounded her family issues. It culminates in her having a full-scale ''nervous breakdown'' when trying to perform a Divination Seance on her father, and collapsing into a sobbing mess in the middle of court after Ga'ran badgers her, bemoaning the fact that Khura'in is going to have such a failure for a queen. Rapidly becomes Heartwarming, however, when everyone not Ga'ran in the courtroom chips in to convince her she isn't worthless.
** Rayfa's breakdown hits especially hard when contrasted to her fainting spells in previous cases. When you finally break her insights in earlier cases, she melodramatically faints while yelling some variety of ThisCannotBe. After trying to do the Divination Seance for her father, [[https://youtu.be/xy0-IatwebE?list=PLhq7N9JLM_oPirtssD4ZMM9MCCpTVWOfN&t=1164 she's going pale, gasping for breath, incapable of forming words, and then passes out.]] It's borderline terrifying to see.

** If you think about Apollo himself, he lost 3 fathers. His biological father whom he never got to know was killed in an arson caused by Ga'ran, his stepfather whom he didn't even know was his stepfather, was killed by Kristoph and there is his foster father Dhurke whom is killed by Inga.

* Meeting Sgt. Buff quickly becomes one when RealityEnsues and she breaks down and cries over the loss of her parents, especially since she lost both of them within a span of six months. Even through the drone, the pain is visible.

* When it seems as though Phoenix will be unable to prove Ahlbi's innocence, and will be executed along with him, he begins to despair, all but certain that he his client will die and he'll never see Maya again.

** 23 Years ago Dhurke Sahdmadhi was accused of assassinating the Good Legitmate Queen Amara by the Now Evil False Queen Ga'ran and he was forced to flee to avoid a wrongful conviction and execution, 23 years later during the present, his foster son Apollo Justice manages to prove Dhurke Sahdmadhi Innocent of both the False Assassination charge and the Murder of Late Justice Minister Inga and get the False Evil Queen Ga'ran overthrown arrested and maybe sentenced for death for her Attempted Assassination of her sister, murdering Jove Justice and Minister Inga, Blasphemy for ascending to the throne and writing and passing laws without spirtual powers needed to channel spirits. But the truth of his innocence is not proven until the middle of his trial when we learn he was shot and killed by Justice Minister Inga all for being a thorn in his side for too long merely three days earlier. It is sad that Dhurke Sahdmadhi did not live long enough to see his innocence and revolution realized with his own two earthly eyes. A mere three days too late for that to happen. Instead he can only witness it from the Twilight Realm. The not guilty verdict, since he is now dead, merely means his sould was found not guilty for both attempts and his soul can finally rest in peace now that Apollo cleared his name, saved Amara, Nahyuta and Rayfa, overthrown th Evil False queen Ga'ran and helped finish the roadwork for the revoltuion to change Khura'in's legal system for the better.

* The Reveal of Dhurke's death. Apollo has to prove a suspect disappeared from a closed chamber by channeling. Since only Dhurke and Maya were found alive in the room, and Maya is pretty much alive, Apollo comes to the conclusion that the Dhurke they met after the murder was dead all along. At first, he doesn't want to believe it. But after the judge calls for another thorough search of the murder scene, Ema reluctantly reports that Dhurke's body was found hidden in a coffin. This causes a severe breakdown to both Apollo and Nahyuta -- Apollo because Dhurke was his adoptive father; Nahyuta because he was his biological father. Apollo starts shouting "Please let my theory be wrong!" and bangs his head on the desk when the AwfulTruth is confirmed. He even goes into a BSOD and starts questioning why he became an attorney in the first place. It manages to surpass his previous low point from ''Dual Destinies'', where Clay was dead and he couldn't stop wondering if Athena did it.

* Like Turnabout for Tomorrow in ''Dual Destinies'' there are multiple bad endings for this case in particular:
** Fail the civil trial and the guilty plaintiff obtains the Founder's Orb and the revolution dies with it. As a result Apollo and Phoenix's business relationship becomes terribly strained.

** Fail to successfully pin Garan to Inga's murder after Nahyuta's revival? Dhurke is no longer found guilty of the assassination and Inga's death but the corrupt Garan regime is still active and Apollo is fighting in the revolution [[FridgeHorror possibly leading to his own death]]. In addition, Phoenix is never mentioned in this ending. [[NothingIsScarier His final fate is left unknown]].

* The reveal that Sorin was responsible for the car accident that lead to his sister's death. As if having a beloved family member's death always fresh in your mind as though it had just happened yesterday weren't bad enough, imagine being the one who ''caused'' it.

** Likewise, even Dumas can suddenly go from AssholeVictim to JerkassWoobie once you find out about his motive being {{Revenge}} for being TheScapegoat for causing Selena's accident and consequently having his life ruined -- not unlike Jack Hammer and Yanni Yogi from the original ''Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney''.
** The moment when the watch starts ticking...

* Ellen's face when Sorin says Ellen is the only person who could have done it. Ellen starts crying, but not her OcularGushers. She keeps her poise, grace, and neat appearance, but she's [[{{Understatement}} visibly hurt]] by this to the point of having DullEyesOfUnhappiness and looking like only a shell of her former self as she is almost completely ''shattered'' inside. It's not helped by Edgeworth's ruthlessness to her (though he at least gets scolded by the Judge for this). Sorin also later says it's mostly because of [[TookALevelInJerkass Edgeworth]] and Pierce taking advantage of Sorin's amnesia (unintentionally on Edgeworth's part) he ever thought Ellen did it in the first place.

** To twist the knife further, Pierce's Breakdown has him relive the final moments of Selena's death as he fails to save her on the operating table, growing increasingly unhinged as he tears into the FXR-UPR.

* Apollo's SurvivalMantra of "I'm fine!" before the start of the first trial, when it's clear that the pressure is getting to him and [[BlatantLies he's nowhere near fine.]] Couple that with Trucy and Athena's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness visibly worried reactions about him]] rather than [[ButtMonkey brushing off his concerns,]] and the whole scene becomes hard to watch.

* As seen in the image for this page, your first interview with Trucy Wright in the Detention Center for her supposed murder of Mr. Rues has her sobbing. [[PlayerPunch Words can't describe on how upsetting this scene is]], especially coming from a [[BreakTheCutie cheery character like Trucy.]]

* Apollo's SurvivalMantra of "I'm fine!" before the start of the first trial, when it's clear that the pressure is getting to him and [[BlatantLies he's nowhere near fine.]] Couple that with Trucy and Athena's visibly worried reactions about him rather than [[ButtMonkey brushing off his concerns,]] and the whole scene becomes hard to watch.

* Apollo's MadnessMantra of "I'm fine!" before the start of the first trial, when it's clear that the pressure is getting to him and [[BlatantLies he's nowhere near fine.]] Couple that with Trucy and Athena's visibly worried reactions about him rather than [[ButtMonkey brushing off his concerns,]] and the whole scene becomes hard to watch.

** It gets worse when you realize that Athena talking about Nahyuta's ability to direct the karma of the trial to prep Apollo isn't what makes his nerves worse--he simply registers that he'll have to stay on his toes if he wants to win. Then he remembers how Phoenix entrusted him with Trucy and the Agency, and believes in him, and that's what pressures him to repeat his MadnessMantra.

* Apollo's MadnessMantra of "I'm fine!" before the start of the first trial, when it's clear that the pressure is getting to him and[[BlatantLies he's nowhere near fine.]] Couple that with Trucy and Athena's visibly worried reactionsabout him rather than [[ButtMonkey brushing off his concerns,]] and the whole scene becomes hard to watch.

** Fail to successfully pin Garan to Inga's murder after Nahyuta's revival? Dhurke is no longer found guilty of the assassination and Inga's death but the corrupt Garan regime is still active and Apollo is fighting in the revolution [[FridgeHorror possibly leading to his own death]].

* The truth. Beh'leeb only killed Puh'ray/Rheel Neh'mu in accidental self-defense because she was found out by him in the revolutionary's secret base, and he threatened to kill her. To quote, she had to kill a person whom she thought as a son because said person was about to kill ''her'' for being part of the revolutionary army. Tahrust found out about this and made it look like it was Maya who killed him, and later then committed suicide and again made it as if he had been murdered by Maya all just to save his pregnant wife from persecution because the law demanded that, if a person is found guilty, those related to him and his defense attorney be found equally guilty. Remember, one piece of the evidence is a picture of the four of them happily having a meal like a family, and it is broken all just because of one law. Made even more heart wrenching is the final goodbye between Beh'leeb and Tahrust, who is channeled by Maya during the trial.

* Your first interview with the defendant in the Detention Center. [[PlayerPunch Words don't do it justice]].

* Rayfa gradually falling apart over the course of the game. She may be an arrogant BrattyHalfPint, but she genuinely wants to be the best queen and princess she can be, and it's hard to watch her repeatedly fail to live up to her own standards, which is only compounded her family issues. It culminates in her [[spoiler:having a full-scale ''nervous breakdown'' when trying to perform a Divination Seance on her father, and collapsing into a sobbing mess in the middle of court after Ga'ran badgers her, bemoaning the fact that Khura'in is going to have such a failure for a queen. Rapidly becomes Heartwarming, however, when everyone not Ga'ran in the courtroom chips in to convince her she isn't worthless.]]

** Then there is the application of the whole truth involving her family. Throughout this trial: [[spoiler:she lost both of her fathers (and in a horrible twist in fate the adoptive father killed her biological father), nearly lost her biological mother and brother, the person who instigated the entire tragedy that led to this trial is her adopted mother, and [[{{Blackmail}} is technically being held hostage]] by said adopted mother; all of this in a matter of days.]] You think Sarge/Armie had it bad, Rayfa's situation was worse in comparison.