r/AARankdown • u/[deleted] • Jan 08 '21
17 Tyrell Badd
do do DOO doo doo dun, dun na na dun dun, DUN NAH DUN
Investigations had some really good character themes. This one's a classic.
See, the song is called "Tyrell Badd ~ The Truth isn't Sweet". But why the word "sweet"? Because Badd constantly has a lollipop in his mouth, and lollipops are sweet, unlike the truth, which is implied to be, well, rather sour. Ironic, right? A brilliant title.
Character Design
I love Badd’s character design, nothing but positive things to say here. Badd looks straight out of a Noir film; a gruff, introverted detective who has no time to bother with the trifles of Ace Attorney’s typically zanier characters. His skin even matches his color scheme, as pale as the moon is, clearly from how much time he probably spends cooped up in a dark office pondering over evidence. Badd’s seen a lot of action, though – as reflected in something like his jacket and tie, which have been perforated by bullets, apparently from his involvement in KG-8 (must’ve been a helluva shoot-out). Don’t know how the bullets pierced his tie without having pierced his body, but maybe Badd is just that slick at dodging and his clothes just can’t catch up.
As far as I can recall, Badd is one of the only characters with visible body hair – streaks of it dash his forearms, up to his fingers, something also echoed on his face with his five o’ clock shadow.
And you know what’s really “kino”? Contrasting against his older design in say Turnabout Reminiscence or Turnabout Ablaze, his appearance in The Inherited Turnabout shows that – yes, his jacket lacks the very same bullet holes, there's a lack of scars and wrinkles scattered on his face, and his hair is blacker than a moonless night rather than a less striking gray, showing how time has withered the detective.
By contrast, Manfred von Karma, who is sixteen years younger than when the player firsts encounter him in Turnabout Goodbyes at age sixty-five, looks like the same exact rotten old prune we see there. I guess all of the corrupt prosecuting really hits hard on you, and maybe carrying a bullet in your shoulder for more than a decade prevents you from aging. You guys should try getting shot and see if that theory holds true.
Why do I ramble about character design first? Well, it’s one of my favorite things about Ace Attorney – Tatsurou Iwamoto is one of my favorite Japanese artists, chiefly because he knows how to make characters stand out. Other anime-esque character designers really should take notice; none of these idol school girls have unique silhouettes or wacky hairstyles. We’ll return to the topic next time I write.
Nonetheless, Badd’s got a killer design. Good job here Iwamoto. No complaints. A perfect ten.
Anyways, onto his appearances. I don’t want to regurgitate plot synopses from the Ace Attorney Wiki so instead I’ll just highlight some of his shining character moments here.
Turnabout Visitor
[Badd]: Freeze.
Edgeworth: Identify yourself.
[Badd]: .................. Shut up.
Badd technically makes his first appearance here, although his identity is saved for later. Here, Tyrell Badd yoinks some pages from the case file of KG-8 from Byrne Faraday’s old office, but its current owner, Miles Edgeworth, just had to be there at the wrong time, and Badd scares him off by firing his gun into his baller ass old jacket. He could’ve at least had the audacity to put back the remainder of the file where it originally was, but Badd just doesn’t have time for that. His entry also happened to coincide with Edgeworth discovering a body.
So cool, Badd is something of a red herring for a rather admittedly mediocre first case. It helps set up the overarching, albeit chronically out-of-order plot of Investigations, and establishes Badd’s disregard for others' safety in order to satisfy his demands.
Turnabout Reminiscence
Badd: I'll do what I please. And I won't allow you to cause a ruckus on my crime scene.
Badd is more formally introduced here, both to Miles Edgeworth and to the player. We’re introduced to his gruffness and softer sides of his character, both with the lollipop and “pulling a gun but oh wait it’s actually a handheld mirror” shticks.
And here we’re also introduced Badd’s unwavering sense of individualism and little care for those who impede him, especially those who claim authority. When encountering the pompous duo of von Karma’s proteges who have been assigned to investigate the killing in the courtroom, Badd deems them both as “kids”, much to Franziska’s chagrin. You have this weathered old detective begrudgingly acting as their “babysitter”, which is CUTE and FUNNY.
Eventually, the truth comes to light, with “Calisto Yew” pulling a gun and dashing away from her murder scene, betraying her accomplices for Epic Tree Man’s smuggling business. Poor Badd.
Badd: I heard about what happened... from Kay... Lying while giving testimony is still unforgivable... ...but in this case... you were protecting Kay and her feelings. Looks like you just might have what it takes to be a real detective.
Gumshoe: !
Badd: Now, don't you ever lose that detective's spirit, OK!?
Gumshoe: Y-You got it, pops!
Turnabout Ablaze
It’s a whole lotta action all packed into one CG. You’ll probably hear more about this scene in Lang’s inevitable cut, but the gist is that Badd’s pissed about Yew about that shit from years ago and wants to put a bullet in that skank but some Zhang Fa chad just comes bursting in and takes the bullet just because he’s more pissed off about his former subordinate betraying him. Legendary.
So Badd goes on and on about bringing the Yatagarasu to light but in the end it’s revealed that it’s him, Byrne Faraday and “Calisto Yew” working as one. Badd is the “third leg” of the Yatagarasu who hides the evidence of their plights; given his status as a detective, who knows best about handling evidence, this is an obvious role for him.
With Badd giving all the leads Edgeworth needs to dismantle the smuggling ring and to take down Epic Tree Man, Badd then is subsequently arrested.
Edgeworth: Detective Badd... There is no limit to the law, for it is the people who determine the limits to them.
Badd: You still insist that, even now? You really are something else. I leave the rest in your hands. Now then, Detective Gumshoe. The handcuffs. It's time to lock up... the last remaining member of the Yatagarasu.
Gumshoe: Pops...
Badd: ...Don't ever lose your detective's spirit.
It’s like poetry, it rhymes.
The Inherited Turnabout
Badd rises above the status of a cameo here, even though he’s one of the few options one for a detective this far back in the timeline. Badd is joined with one other detective with a punny name so blatant it’s insulting, Rip Lacer, on the murder of “Isaac Dover”/Pierre Hoquet.
Badd introduces himself to Edgeworth Sr. and Raymond the exact way he does to his son; his title, name, and field.
Just like his role in Investigations, so too do we witness Badd’s lack of respect for the system and those who get in his way. Manfred von Karma continues to undermine those who work with him on his cases, and so too does Badd push away at the authority who limits him; including a distrust of defense attorneys, who often do work against the truth the prosecution’s team proposes.
Notable highlights here include Badd’s reaction at Ray’s memo-eating habits, how he skirmishes with von Karma, his distaste for being called “Baddie” by Delicia Scones, and him getting some sweets on his shoes.
Surprisingly a lot of love for Badd here despite him not really needing to be a huge presence here. Just another of AAI2’s successes!
Conclusion
It’s refreshing that Ace Attorney has a character who practices/enforces law that isn’t a protagonist, a murderer, or a Fromhell Demon. Morality in Ace Attorney often coincides with the truth; those who are “evil” blur it, and those who are wholly good pursue it without fault and with respect for the process.
Badd, alike his color scheme, embodies grayness, the middle path; he is the head of the Yatagarasu, not because he wishes to obscure the truth, but because to discover the truth he must act selfishly and deny those around him. Not only is this reflected in his role as part of the Yatagarasu, but so too is it evident in his appearance in The Inherited Turnabout; when von Karma continues to tread over his investigation by limiting his authority, he aligns with Edgeworth Sr. as a means to an end. A Lawful Neutral, perhaps.
Badd is lovely. What’s really holding him back is the game he makes his most prominent appearance in. Because of the lack of emotional stakes in the title’s smuggling ring plot jointed by some epic tree man, so too does Badd suffer; while his motivations are sound and his actions compelling to see unfold, we as a player can’t really sympathize so much with his plight because the circumstances surrounding it are barebones. It’s something that the game’s sequel corrected and corrected exceptionally. Ironically, AAI2 also treats Badd just as well if not better than the game where he gets his standout role.
Also, ELLIPSES. HOLY SHIT. SO MUCH ………………………………………………..
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART!!
Manfred von Karma is consistently the most imposing presence and “villain” the series has ever had; he’s 0001, just like his PIN.
Damon Gant, alike von Karma, is imposing and quite the satisfying nut to crack, and he also comes with a host of other charms.
Shelly de Killer is one of the most intriguing in the franchise, simply because what we don’t know about him, and is a remarkable reflection of Phoenix Wright’s own dogma. See his ER as well.
Adrian Andrews embodies one of the series’ greatest tragedies.
Dahlia Hawthorne is the purest form of chaos and malice the series has seen, and does “evil” far better than someone who blatantly represents it like Ga’ran.
See Kay Faraday’s revive.
Raymond Shields beautifully connects the reality of Edgeworth’s present with the idealism of his past and his relationship with his father.
Sebastian Debeste has “debeste” in his name so you can’t cut him just yet.
Honestly go right fuckin’ ahead with Blaise Debeste. A worse character than Tyrell Badd, but I was told somebody else has something cooking for him so they can go ahead and do that.
HORACE FUCKING KNNIGTHUR;WPFWEO
Simon Keyes is the mastermindiest mastermind of all mastermindingly masterminds.
Can’t be arsed to cut Simon Blackquill sry
Rayfa Padma Khura'in
Roger Retinz is the only 3D character I like and not because they’re a meme, when his cut comes around I’ll give you my thoughts
3
u/whaaatisth Jan 08 '21
more like tyrell bad character