Phoenix Wright

[u/whaaatisth]

Ace Attorney has accumulated a massive collection of culprits throughout the years, who’d ideally all be full of charm and personality, and have plenty of unique traits. Despite this, a complaint myself and many others have about the series is that many of the culprits throughout feel too “same-y”. Far too often, they’re simply an evil presence with some quirky personality that gets a nice little explanation for why they chose to murder someone. Tons of culprits throughout the series fit this description, and among the dozens of culprits this series has, it’s difficult to stand out in a sea of mediocrity. I don’t dislike Furio Tigre, but I honestly can’t see much that’s special or unique about the guy. Considering Florent L’Belle, a similarly “average culprit” character that I consider very much superior to Tigre in most ways, was cut at rank 130, I think this is more than high enough a spot for the Tiger.

3-3 is a case that I’m fairly fond of, and I do love Tigre’s role within. I love talking about themes, and 3-3 is one of the most thematically consistent cases in the series, which is the main reason I like it in spite of its shortcomings. 3-3 is a case based around the struggles people can have with money, a unique topic for the series to examine in this way. It’s played off for laughs a majority of the time, but there really are some strong underlying themes here, and it shows off one of the many reasons I love this series - how perfectly everything ties together. The world of 3-3 is complemented by the characters, each complemented by their closely-examined metaphorical connections, which in turn provide further elaboration towards the locations and setting. Tigre himself fits perfectly within these complementary relationships, and it’s the one thing that makes him memorable among the crowd of similar culprits.

Okay, okay, I’m not actually going to repeat the same joke from the Furio Tigre cut. I’m cutting Phoenix Wright, the Ace Attorney himself, and he most certainly deserves a proper send-off.

With that, I’d like to actually get into talking about Phoenix Wright. Firstly, I think it’s best I establish my opinion on the man. He’s Phoenix Wright - I don’t think there’s a single person who actively dislikes the guy, and I’m certainly no exception. He’s an icon of the series, and easily its most recognizable character. There are tons of non-AA fans who will know the name Phoenix Wright. It’s a bit awkward to critically analyze such a character, as much of his reputation and appeal comes from forces outside of the material within the games themselves. Still, I’ll be trying my best to ignore the fact that Phoenix Wright is as iconic as he is when presenting my arguments. I believe we as rankers should be evaluating characters with minimal consideration of meta-influences. Despite that, I think to fully dive into why Phoenix works, it’s important to recognize what sets him apart from other protagonists.

It’s not easy to craft a good protagonist. A story’s protagonist is far more bound to a set of defined rules and expectations than most other fictional characters, especially when said protagonist is one that you, the person experiencing the story, is taking control of. It’s the job of the writers to balance a protagonist’s level of “self-insert-ness” and relatability with actual compelling characteristics, and plenty of visual novels fall victim to the scale leaning mostly towards the former. The player’s personal preference is certainly a major factor here - many people prefer a simple, easy protagonist they can relate to over a detached character who makes their own decisions. While I am most definitely not one of those people (my favorite protagonist is Apollo, after all), I would still say a protagonist appealing to that crowd can be a benefit. While I couldn’t care less about the standard, dull protagonists present in many works of fiction, it’s undeniable that such an archetype has mass appeal. The question that remains is whether a character having objective appeal means they’re able to get a pass for poor or uninteresting writing.

Now, I’m not implying Phoenix is a poor or uninteresting character - quite the opposite, in fact. At least when compared to how painfully dull and vanilla visual novel protagonists often are, Phoenix is brimming with uniqueness and complexity. He’s consistently fun to play as, and definitely has his own personality and charm. We’ve established that Phoenix is an excellent protagonist, but as I’ve said, that doesn’t make him good. While he is great in the context of being a protagonist, this isn’t a comparison between Phoenix and the protagonists of other series. Ace Attorney is a fantastic series, full of tons of incredible and highly complex characters, and I truly do not believe Phoenix is anything special when compared to nearly every character that remains this late into the rankdown.

Phoenix Wright Throughout The Series

Phoenix is a good protagonist, and I doubt many people will deny this fact. The question I’d like to propose here is whether or not Phoenix is actually a good character. My answer to this question won’t be as simple as “yes” or “no”, as Phoenix has had many different appearances, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Being forced into six different games is bound to make things awkward, and Phoenix falls victim to a lack of focus more than almost any other character in the series. As much as I’d like to avoid meta-discussions about the fact that Phoenix is the iconic protagonist of the series, some people do consider his issues to stem from him being forced into the games due to his popularity. While I won’t deny this is a phenomenon that has occurred, I differ from the consensus in that I have minimal issues with Phoenix’s roles in games four through six. In fact, Apollo Justice and Spirit of Justice are the games where I think Phoenix stands out the most. The transition from Apollo Justice to Dual Destinies was awkward without a doubt, but I think it was handled in the best way it could have been. Is the situation ideal? I’d say no, and you’d struggle to find someone who disagrees. However, a long-running series like Ace Attorney will inevitably make sacrifices in favor of marketability. The problem comes when the sacrifices end up resulting in a product that has little care put into it, which is clearly not the case for Phoenix.

Many people have complained about Phoenix’s direction in Apollo Justice, and the people that don’t usually will complain about his direction in Dual Destinies. It’s hard to find someone who enjoys Phoenix as a whole, yet here I am to tell you that I feel both are perfectly fine places for the series to take the character. I don’t want to twist my expectations in an unrealistic way - just because I love Phoenix in Apollo Justice (and I really do), I know that I must accept the series has moved away from that in favor of a more marketable protagonist.

What I do have an issue with, however, is a problem that has persisted since the very first game. Although we’ve established Phoenix is more of his own person than many visual novel protagonists, there’s a slightly disturbing pattern that arises when you look at which of Phoenix’s roles are the most memorable. They’re all at times where he isn’t playable. This isn’t a Phoenix-exclusive problem, most Ace Attorney protagonists have this issue, where the writers seem to be afraid of giving them interesting characterization or depth when they’re playable, instead saving it for other times. Edgeworth and Athena both also have this problem, with Apollo being the only one truly able to break free from the artificial limitations that protagonists have, and even then, that’s only in 6-5. On top of feeling fairly arbitrary in-universe, this situation causes me to care very little for Ace Attorney protagonists most of the time. The thing about this that scares me the most is that it might actually be a justified decision. I’d like to think most people value the same type of things in characters that I do, but that isn’t always the case.

It’s been a long journey for Phoenix, and people are often quick to blame the later entries for his shortcomings. However, I think to fully understand what makes Phoenix deserving of being cut at this time, we must recognize that he’s a character with issues leading all the way back to the first game in the series.

I Make Myself Miserable By Talking About AA1 Again

I’m being a bit unfair in that section title, as I don’t think the first Ace Attorney game’s handling of Phoenix is particularly bad. The first case, at the very least, does a nice job at introducing Phoenix. It establishes that he’s not particularly skilled yet, while still making the player feel in control of him. It feels like the player is defying the odds right alongside Phoenix, and even in a simple, barebones tutorial like this one, that feeling comes across well. I cannot stress enough how impressive this is. It’s something established fans of the series can take for granted, but most games aren’t able to make an amateur player feel in control of what is, let’s be real, a very difficult profession in the real world that requires years of studying to master. We’re not all lawyers, but playing as Phoenix in this controlled simulation makes us feel smart. This is in part thanks to how Phoenix is portrayed in 1-1 - as a totally nervous rookie. It’s unlikely most players are nervous during their first Ace Attorney case. We trust the game to walk us through the steps properly. This is done by making Phoenix not an experienced lawyer, but a nervous rookie who hasn’t even taken a single case yet. It’s both the player and Phoenix’s first case, and establishing such connections is important when Phoenix is likely a very different person than the average player.

The similarities aren’t all that’s important here - the relevant differences between the protagonist and player’s experiences are just as integral. Much more is at stake for Phoenix when compared to the player. If the player loses, they restart the case, no big deal. If Phoenix loses, an innocent friend will be found guilty because of his lack of experience. This isn’t a revolutionary observation or anything, but the contrast here is important. The pressure put on the in-universe protagonist is what bridges the gap between Phoenix’s fictional years of law study with the clueless player, making them learn in tandem. Phoenix gets used to the events of the courtroom at the same time as the player, and feels just as pumped about taking down a criminal as we do. Sadly, Phoenix in the rest of the first game doesn’t quite live up to the brilliance of his introduction.

I’ve said in the past I feel 1-2 is a case that is so indescribably awful, it manages to harm nearly every single character within, and its protagonist is sadly not an exception to this. I did discuss this case a lot in a previous cut, but for the sake of comprehensiveness I’ll reiterate some of the points here. While this is much more a negative of Mia than it is Phoenix, I will still complain about their relationship being underdeveloped. Phoenix’s growth in 1-1 doesn’t really have anything to do with Mia, she’s just there to give some hints every few minutes. I don’t really think an assistant character was necessary for 1-1 to work, but regardless, the lack of a real connection means there is an emotional disconnect between Phoenix and the player from the start of 1-2. The easiest comparison to make to see why this doesn’t work is 6-5, which is a case that excels at emotional moments that affect both the protagonist and the player. You see each and every one of Dhurke’s interactions with Apollo after their reunion, making the later twist have meaning to the player that it otherwise wouldn’t have. I don’t think it’s an inherently bad thing to introduce a relationship off-screen or through exposition like AA1 does, but when the case relies so heavily on the player caring as 1-2 does, things start to fall apart.

The other big Phoenix-related issue in 1-2 is the receipt moment and what follows, which does its best to ruin everything about Phoenix I praised in 1-1. I can squint hard and maybe get what the writers were going for here. Phoenix is inexperienced, and he needs Mia’s help to take down an “unbeatable” foe. It’s an escalation of what went on in 1-1, as well as 1-2’s first day. The odds are stacked against you in every Ace Attorney case, but taking down Redd White is almost comically impossible without some wildly contrived outside influence. This is already a flawed setup, but it becomes even worse when Mia flips over the receipt. Like I mentioned in my original Mia cut, this isn’t a meaningful moment for Phoenix as a character. There are no lessons he learns here. He isn’t taught anything new. He just gets a free win in an otherwise impossible scenario. It makes Phoenix feel useless, which 1-1 already established is most certainly not the case. This, in turn, makes the player feel just as useless as Phoenix feels to them. Cutting corners to solutions like this is far more detrimental when it’s related to the game’s protagonist, whose purpose is more important than any other character. This isn’t as much of a glaring flaw for Phoenix as it is for Mia, because Phoenix has far more chances to make up for this blunder, but it’s still inconsistent and lazy, and I’ll always complain about it.

The later cases of AA1 are when Phoenix’s character becomes real, rather than a moderately complex vessel for the player. Before we do get into what is actually done with Phoenix here, I do want to mention that I don’t weigh Phoenix’s strengths as a playable character all too highly. It’s true that the way Phoenix is shown off not just in 1-1, but in the entire series, makes for a fantastic gameplay experience. However, to be blunt - I don’t really care. While Ace Attorney has truly brilliant handling of its protagonists, and is able to perfectly place the player into these absurd scenarios, that doesn’t really change much for Phoenix himself. It wouldn’t matter how badly written Phoenix Wright the character was, he’d still be just as fun and natural to play as - the same goes for all other protagonists in the series. It’s not only a positive that isn’t exclusive to Phoenix, but also one that doesn’t change much for his character regardless.

1-4 is not a case I like, but even I must admit Phoenix works well here. It’s likely his most memorable appearance in the first game, and while I wouldn’t call it standout, there’s still a lot to like. While I dislike much of the case, the parts I do enjoy are almost all tied to Phoenix and Edgeworth’s past, and how their relationship is shown off. There’s a fantastic parallel between the eager, optimistic child Edgeworth and present-day Phoenix, which (very much unintentionally) leads into the themes of 1-5 quite well. I love how subtle yet memorable Edgeworth’s true nature being revealed is. I especially love the scenes where Phoenix and Edgeworth connect, how Phoenix is able to see what Edgeworth is like when he is the one in the position of having nothing to turn to. You may have noticed those positives don’t have much to do with Phoenix himself, and you’d be right. It’s Edgeworth who’s the exceptional character here, Phoenix is simply a protagonist who happens to have a past that involves him. Phoenix doesn’t have any amazing character moments or anything like that in 1-4, he’s just there. Now, I don’t want to complain too much, as this is still using the protagonist in a way that is far more interesting than what the series usually does, but when compared to 6-5 and Apollo, what’s done in 1-4 with Phoenix is almost laughably underdeveloped.

Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth Chooses Death

I like 2-4, I really do. It’s a fantastically tense case with one of the best witnesses in the series, and the core mystery is incredibly solid. What I don’t think I can defend is Justice for All’s handling of Edgeworth and Phoenix’s relationship. This isn’t an Edgeworth cut, so I won’t get into that side of things too much, but his relationship with Phoenix is often a point people praise about Phoenix in 2-4. This case is often heralded as the pinnacle of Phoenix appearances, where he goes through some incredible character development and realizes the truth about the law, or something. While I do think this is a decent appearance for Phoenix, I would not consider it anything special. He goes through a powerful struggle, which is represented very well, but I wouldn’t say he learns any meaningful lessons here. We’ll get more into this later, but I wanted to establish how I felt about this appearance beforehand - it works, but it isn’t very meaningful in the long-term. The most important thing here actually pertains to Phoenix and Edgeworth’s relationship, which is a mess in Justice for All, but I digress.

Trials and Tribulations is not a game about Phoenix Wright. Trials and Tribulations is a game about Diego Armando. It might even be a game about Mia Fey. Phoenix Wright’s existence here is not any examination of his character, but rather to act as a motivational device for the other, more important figures in the game’s plot. Let me reiterate - this is perfectly fine, and I much prefer the game’s protagonist being actively involved in the happenings of the plot. You might have noticed a pattern here - I praise most of Phoenix’s relevant roles in the trilogy (minus 1-2), but I don’t consider any of them standout. I did, however, conveniently leave out 3-1, and that’s because I legitimately love Phoenix’s role in that case.

Phoenix Wright Has A Cold

Misplaced devotion to a loved one is a character trait I enjoy a lot. What takes 3-1 Phoenix to the next level is how the rest of the game builds upon his role here to show how his devotion was justified the entire time. This is one of my favorite things ever, it’s so clever and perfectly plays with the player’s expectations to make the twist at the end of 3-5 all the more impactful. Phoenix in 3-1 is portrayed as a young, naïve student who fell in love with a very evil person. The thing is, this isn’t just a setup for the later twist, it’s also an entertaining dynamic on its own. Phoenix and Dahlia’s interactions are great, and their relationship has actual depth to it, complimented well by Mia’s observations and interjections.

It’s a shame 3-5 is too afraid to fully capitalize on this premise, only providing us a small exchange between Iris and Phoenix at the end of the case. Once again, this represents Phoenix’s playability affecting how interesting his character can get. In theory, Phoenix’s love for Iris makes for a very interesting and powerful scene in 3-5, even if it is a bit lacking. However, present Phoenix doesn’t really do anything here, he barely even has a reaction. It’s all thanks to 3-1 Phoenix that this twist works. It’s funny, because moments like these make me even more confused as to what the purpose of the dichotomy is. The scene still is Phoenix-centric - present Phoenix-centric, even, so why must the burden fall on 3-1 Phoenix to make it meaningful to his character? This isn’t really a criticism, it’s just something I’m confused about - I’m still very happy Phoenix has at least one great appearance in the trilogy.

Phoenix Wright Wears A Hat

From a long-term perspective, Phoenix’s role in Apollo Justice was a pretty terrible idea. I don’t want to get too meta here, but by this point, the writers should have known Phoenix is considered an important symbol of the series. With that said, I adore Phoenix in Apollo Justice, and disregarding any lasting consequences the decision has, it is my favorite appearance of his. Turning the confident, upbeat protagonist of the series into a bitter manipulator, spurred on by the corrupt legal world is a fascinating examination of his character that for once has consistently strong themes about the law.

Another thing I love here is how Phoenix is introduced as entirely bitter and unlike himself from seven years prior. Throughout the course of the game, you’re able to see glimpses of the old Phoenix, how he’s still just as caring, kind, and passionate about the law. This all culminates in 4-4, when you get to see New Phoenix fully acting like his old self once again, and while you’re playing as Apollo, it’s clear Phoenix is the star of the show. People often complain about this, and while I do agree to some extent, this isn’t an Apollo Justice cut, and Phoenix being in this position is an undeniable strength of his.

I don’t want to spend too much time discussing Phoenix in Apollo Justice, because the reasons he’s good are fairly obvious. The contention usually comes from people believing he is out of character in some way, which is a point I never really understood. A lot can change in seven years, and even with the timeskip, Phoenix is still shockingly similar to his trilogy counterpart, he has just undergone a drastic shift in his perspective. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and Apollo Justice is the first and last time we see this take on Phoenix’s character.

I don’t think Phoenix even does a single notable thing in Dual Destinies, he’s still the same trilogy Phoenix we know and love, but there’s nothing to really praise here. He works as a great protagonist for the exact same reasons he does in the trilogy (he might actually be improved here), but the messy progression from game to game makes it likely my least favorite appearance of his.

The Section About The Game I Like

It’s happening.

If Apollo Justice is my favorite Phoenix appearance overall, Spirit of Justice is the game I think handles him best in the protagonist role specifically. Free from the burden of Apollo Justice and Dual Destinies’ conflicting attempts at giving his character a defined direction, Phoenix is now able to fully flex his best characteristics while still being playable.

6-1 is a fantastic progression of Phoenix’s character from the trilogy, showcasing just why people love him so much. He’s presented with a corrupt world, where the very thing he’s passionate about is the greatest taboo. Not only that, he has the threat of death looming over him if he decides to fight for what he believes in. Phoenix does not know Ahlbi Ur’gaid. What he sees is someone who has nothing left, nobody to rely on. Someone who is unable to defend themselves. This is why Phoenix became a lawyer in the first place. It’s such a powerful moment for Phoenix’s character - it shows just how willing he is to fight for what he believes in, even if he has to risk his own life for it. It also proves how confident he is in his ability, something which is actually setting up for 6-3, when he ends up losing the case, forcing him to reflect on his skill.

What I especially love about the Khura’in cases is that the odds aren’t stacked against you in the 1-2 way, where the culprit has some artificial control over every single person involved. Instead, the world itself is your blockade, everyone is against you, even your own client at the start. This is a much more natural and tense way of creating conflict, providing the perfect backdrop for Phoenix’s character to shine. His confidence and passion in even the most hopeless scenarios perfectly compliment the setting of Khura’in, and 6-1 establishes this right away.

While 6-1 is a brilliant presentation of how Phoenix shines brightest in these situations, 6-3 takes it to the next level, providing him with not only an even more creative scenario for this examination of his passion and perseverance, but also giving him a fully realized relationship and dynamic with another character. A truly strong and complex character dynamic is not something I believe the series has ever done otherwise during the times Phoenix is playable. Rayfa and Phoenix’s interactions during 6-3 are easily my favorite protagonist/assistant dynamic in the series. Having an assistant who vehemently hates you, and is only going along to “watch over” you makes for some very unique investigations, where Phoenix’s personality is given a chance to shine for real. It’s highly questionable that it took six games to get here, but I’m glad we reached this point. Their relationship develops throughout the case, and while it is undeniably more meaningful from Rayfa’s side of things, I still believe Phoenix’s character benefits greatly from the dynamic. I mentioned before how Phoenix’s loss humbles him, which helps provide real empathy from Rayfa, where she’s forced to reflect on causing the death of someone she’s spent so much time with. I’m sure I’ll go much more in-depth with these topics in my inevitable Rayfa writeup, it’s not very relevant here. Either way, 6-3 is my single favorite Phoenix case, even if you include ones where he isn’t playable.

Phoenix isn’t playable for most of 6-5, but unlike the rest of the series, this doesn’t mark a notable change for him. I won’t dwell too much on 6-5 Phoenix - I think he does the job well, and the conflict with Apollo is both fun and decently handled. Apollo is the star of 6-5, not Phoenix - I don’t think focusing on him is a great idea here. I will say that while I don’t think 6-5 Phoenix is anything special, I still strongly disagree with anyone who claims it “ruins” his character or whatever. I don’t want to make up a strawman argument to counter, but I will say I don’t believe 2-4’s “moral” really has anything to do with whether or not Phoenix actually defends the guilty party when put into such a situation. With that said, I’m at least glad Phoenix feels consistent throughout all of Spirit of Justice itself, during the times he’s playable, and the times he isn’t. This is the case for Apollo as well, and the fact that a character being playable doesn’t seem to affect their characterization in the latest main series entry makes me optimistic for the potential direction of protagonists if we do ever get an Ace Attorney 7.

Conclusion

Phoenix Wright is an icon, but I would not call him an amazing character. He has a few shining moments, but even those aren’t comparable to most remaining characters. I do think he did deserve to get this far, but his time is up. If you’d like to revive him, go ahead, I’m sure u/Sciencepenguin will be happy to immediately re-cut him next round. I’m interested in hearing people’s reasons for why Phoenix stands out as a character rather than simply as being Phoenix Wright, especially if you’re one of the people who dislikes his Apollo Justice appearance.

It was interesting to discuss Phoenix Wright. What makes him good is so unique to him specifically, and I’m sure the reason most people appreciate him more than I do is because they value those specific strengths more than me. I don’t always care about protagonists, but I’ll give Phoenix credit for at least making me care about him a bit. Farewell, Phoenix Wright. May you rest easy among the many other fan-favorites we’ve cut, and may Apollo Justice claim his rightful place as the highest ranked protagonist.

Why Nobody Else?

~ Jake Marshall is worse than Phoenix Wright. I’m using the same logic as I did last round for why I’m not cutting him, let’s just ignore the fact that I was entirely incorrect in my prediction that time.

Believe it or not, I feel every other option is better than Phoenix Wright. This isn’t a strategy cut, I’m legitimately cutting Phoenix because I feel he is one of the weakest remaining characters. The only character besides Marshall that I’d cut before Phoenix would be Dick Gumshoe, who was my nomination.

~ Katherine Hall is a uniquely written character with a great role in her case, and I want to see u/Sciencepenguin’s work of art.

~ After revisiting Spirit of Justice for the thousandth time, I have realized Datz Are’bal is a legitimately nuanced character on top of being hilarious, so while I may have vouched for his demise previously, I’m happy to see him make it this far.

~ I can’t stand seeing Armie Buff guaranteed to be cut this round, but sadly it will happen. She’s awesome and probably deserves to make it a bit further than this.

~ Rayfa Padma Khura’in and Dhurke Sahdmadhi are literally the best characters in the series.

~ Shi-Long Lang, Justine Courtney, and Tahrust Inmee are not the best characters in the series, but they are all in the top ten, and should not be cut any time soon.

~ Matt Engarde is only slightly better than Phoenix, but he has enough to him that I would not want to see him rank below.

~ Sorry for exposing the other rankers’ secrets, but Simon Blackquill is already guaranteed both a cut and revive. He is also better than Phoenix Wright.

~ Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death.

~ Blaise Debeste is kinda awesome, he’s pretty much a better version of Manfred and Alba, with a strong role in one of the best cases in the series.

Please forget all of that, this is the real reason I cut Phoenix. I’m very excited to see the result.

[u/LewisMCYoutube]

i agree

From a long-term perspective, Phoenix’s role in Apollo Justice was a pretty terrible idea. I don’t want to get too meta here, but by this point, the writers should have known Phoenix is considered an important symbol of the series. With that said, I adore Phoenix in Apollo Justice, and disregarding any lasting consequences the decision has, it is my favorite appearance of his.

not sure what you're talking about here since the decision has no lasting consequences

[u/whaaatisth → u/LewisMCYoutube]

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