Ace Attorney Case Files Turnabout Reminiscence(End)

 Now for the end of Turnabout Reminiscence.

The Case Thus Far

After meeting a young girl named Kay Faraday, Edgeworth recalls the time when Kay's father, public prosecutor Byrne Faraday, and Mack Rell, the defendant Faraday was prosecuting, were murdered in the courthouse. Edgeworth learned that the murder had ties to the unresolved KG-8 murder incident, which Faraday had also prosecuted, since both cases had ties to a smuggling group.

After Edgeworth disproved the theory that Faraday and Rell killed each other, Detective Gumshoe became the prime suspect, becoming suspicious when he refused to tell the truth about what he had done around the time of the murder. Edgeworth, however, realized that Gumshoe had shared a Swiss roll with Kay, thereby proving that he had not abandoned his post and killed the victims, but defense attorney Calisto Yew contended that Gumshoe was, in fact, the killer. Edgeworth and Franziska then set out to investigate Defendant Lobby #1 in order to find some clue to crack the case.

The Other Lobby

Edgeworth and Franziska enter the defendant lobby and are overwhelmed by a sweet scent. Edgeworth then sees Kay and Badd, the former of whom calls the latter her "Uncle." Kay, having escaped the bailiff, shows Badd a small pink jar with a flower design, but that isn't what Badd's looking for. Badd then gives Kay a Swiss roll. Kay is still upset about Gumshoe being arrested for her father's murder.

Edgeworth suggests that Kay go home, but Kay claims to be Badd's assistant, and thus allowed to investigate. Franziska is furious that Badd would allow a little girl free reign when he opposed letting her into the crime scene, but Badd points out that people can do what they like outside of the crime scene, and that Yew was also investigating herself. Kay goes off somewhere else, but not before asking Edgeworth to find the real bad guy. Edgeworth notes that without a "perfect" piece of evidence, Gumshoe is probably the culprit.

Badd is still unwilling to talk with Edgeworth and Franziska, but Edgeworth, undeterred, asks about the fragrance from outside. Badd says that it's Yew's perfume, and the smell persists even after he opened the window. Franziska is convinced that it's a cheap knockoff brand, but Badd says it's a famous brand from overseas, at which point Franziska condescendingly accepts the bottle from Badd before handing it to Edgeworth, who is none too pleased about getting it.

Edgeworth asks Badd about where he was during the recess, and Badd reiterates that he was in the room the entire time except for when he called for Gumshoe. He reveals that Yew came to talk with him after he made the call, so they were separated until then. 

Franziska brings up Yew's dislike of Badd, and Edgeworth proposes that it may be because Badd was unable to ensure Coachen's conviction in Cece's murder. Badd is taken aback by how well-informed Edgeworth is, and agrees to answer Edgeworth's questions.

Badd then begins talking about KG-8, and says Edgeworth and Franziska will be the first to hear it. At this point, Badd takes the stick out of his mouth to reveal a lollipop and speaks without his trademark pauses. He reveals that he, Yew and Faraday were all involved in KG-8, and he and Faraday were investigating the ring. When Edgeworth brings up the trial of one of the Amano Group's secretaries, Badd disdainfully refers to the case as "a front," and that the case was "tainted" when Cece was killed before she could testify. 

As for the secretary, the man was Colin Devorae, the victim of the previous case (which is chronologically third, after Case #4 and Case #2, but before Case #1 and Case #5). He confessed to being the smuggler even though he knew nothing, likely because the boss of the ring intimidated him. Since the "boss man" is Ernest Amano, a benefactor of Miles Edgeworth, Edgeworth refuses to believe it and dismisses it as Badd's hypothesis. In a bit of dramatic irony, Amano was arrested for covering up his son's murder in the previous case, and was strongly implied to be connected to the smuggling ring.

Franziska notes that Devorae would almost certainly be convicted after confessing, but seems convinced that Coachen killed Cece and is bitter about Faraday letting Coachen slip through his fingers. Edgeworth mentions how someone stole a piece of evidence from Faraday, and Badd blames himself for that, along with failing to protect Cece and Faraday. He claims he was lured into a trap and fired upon repeatedly, with his jacket being riddled with holes. Badd notes only half the holes are from the incident in question, but he still sees his jacket as a reminder of his failure.

With the suspect not guilty and important evidence missing, Badd and Faraday were at a dead end until they met Yew, who slapped Badd when he and Faraday tried to apologize for their failure to convict her sister's killer and said she never wanted to see them again. But they did see her again, as after continuing their investigation of the smuggling ring, they saw her in another trial, in which Faraday was a prosecutor, Badd gave testimony and Yew was the defense attorney. Badd notes that this was her way of pursuing the smuggling ring, which was why she defended Rell.

Edgeworth recalls his earlier conversation with Yew about the latter's motives, now understanding what she meant. Franziska refuses to condone defending criminals regardless of the reason, but Badd dismisses her as naïve, since Yew also saw the limit of what the law could do, like he and Faraday had. Edgeworth insists that the law is merely a tool, but Badd insists that someday, he and Franziska will learn the same lesson Badd and Faraday had. He then concludes by saying it was all beside the point, and what matters is that he and Faraday met Yew again while pursuing the smuggling ring.

Badd mentions that he's known Faraday since he was a rookie and Kay since she was born. He cracked many cases with Faraday, but wasn't able to crack the Yatagarasu case. Badd remains silent for a long moment, then remarks that he and Faraday knew more about the Yatagarasu than anyone, which was why he was called in to prove that Rell was not the real Yatagarasu. Unfortunately, Rell accusing Faraday ruined that plan.

Edgeworth asks Badd for his information on the Yatagarasu, insisting that since this case is the second KG-8 incident, the Yatagarasu is relevant, especially since both suspects were killed at the same time. Badd finally agrees, and tells them why they haven't caught the Yatagarasu.

1. The Yatagarasu always knows the location of the target object.
2. The Yatagarasu can disarm the security systems.
3. The Yatagarasu never leaves behind evidence.

Because of this, Badd is convinced that Rell, who committed murder on tape, is not the Yatagarasu. He also mentions that the Yatagarasu sent the evidence- something only a few besides Badd and Faraday knew about- directly to the police, and Badd knew the Yatagarasu was responsible because of the calling card- a white card with a black wing design. Rell had no idea what came with the card, proving he wasn't the Yatagarasu. Edgeworth thanks Badd for his help.

A bailiff arrives to summon Edgeworth to meet with the judge for the evidence transferal. Before leaving, Edgeworth asks Badd what the law means to him, and Badd says that answering that question is why he's still alive. Edgeworth  also seeks that answer, which, along with finding all criminals guilty, is why he became a prosecutor.

Faraday's Evidence

The judge is still depressed about giving faulty testimony, especially when Franziska end up rubbing salt into his wound. The judge barely realizes that Edgeworth's asking for Faraday's evidence, and when he does, points out that Yew, the defense attorney, has yet to arrive. Edgeworth points out that Yew is investigating, so the judge gives him the go-ahead.

Edgeworth sees the contents of Faraday's bag, the evidence from the Cohdopian Embassy murder. Franziska is eager to investigate, wanting to learn more about the trial and being bitter about playing second fiddle to Edgeworth.

The evidence consists of the knife used to kill Faraday, the gun used to kill Rell, an organizer and an envelope. Edgeworth is confused about the presence of the organizer until the judge explains that it was in Faraday's bag, and Badd included it because he thought it might be useful.

Edgeworth looks over the evidence. First is the gun, which Rell used to kill Deid Mann, but then was used to kill Rell. He doesn't learn much more about that, or about the knife used to kill Faraday.

Faraday's organizer details his strategy against Rell- he'll prove Rell is the killer with the murder weapon, the surveillance footage with "superb clarity" on the audio(an oddly specific detail), and prove that he's not the Yatagarasu with the Yatagarasu Key, which is identified by a picture stuck between the pages. Edgeworth and Franziska conclude it was Faraday's secret evidence, but Edgeworth realizes there's no mention of a knife in the organizer, and asks where the knife came from. Franziska asserts that Rell brought it with him, but Edgeworth says it isn't that easy to smuggle a knife in. He then puts two and two together, noting that if the knife isn't on the evidence list and the Yatagarasu Key isn't in the evidence bag, they must be one and the same.

Franziska is skeptical, but Edgeworth proves his point by noting that they have similar-looking handles, along with the fact that the list mentions a key but not a knife. Examining the evidence proves that the key can change into a knife and vice versa. Edgeworth almost understands that this information about the key's nature will be "key" to this case, no pun intended. He suspects that Faraday never knew about the secret of the key, and that only his killer did. As such, it's likely that his killer is none other than the Yatagarasu.

Franzska returns to the possibility that Rell is the Yatagarasu, but Edgeworth knows Faraday was convinced otherwise, especially since Badd pointed out Rell didn't know about the calling card. He decides to find out who knows the key's secret.

Edgeworth looks over the envelope for Franziska's benefit, and Franziska notes that Rell, who was caught on camera and found with the murder weapon, is a "simpleton." The Cohdopian embassy is noted to have high-tech security systems that even record sound. Even Franziska is disturbed by the prospect of watching someone die.

Edgeworth then notices that the security footage is missing, and he and Franziska wonder where it could have gone. The judge asks if Edgeworth is done and he says yes, but informs him about the footage being missing. The judge insists he brought Faraday's bag from the crime scene, and suggests that the tape's still at the crime scene. Edgeworth realizes something's off, and decides to return to the crime scene.

Back to the Crime Scene

In Lobby #2, Badd asks a uniformed agent to help him with a search, and the agent leaves, but not before antagonizing Edgeworth for being a prosecutor. As the man's sprite, attitude and theme song prove, this is none other than Shi-Long Lang, Edgeworth's rival in the third and fifth cases. Edgeworth and Franziska find Lang rather rude, and ask Badd about him. Badd informs them that Lang came all the way from Zheng Fa to revive his family's lost honor, which is why he's studying "detainment." Badd notes that Lang is more useful than Gumshoe(not that it's saying much). Badd refuses to tell Edgeworth and Franziska about what he's looking for, and Edgeworth decides to draw the truth out of him.

Badd refuses to answer Edgeworth's questions about the time of the murder, saying he can't talk about what he doesn't know. Edgeworth shows him a picture of the Yatagarasu Key, and Badd is shocked to realize that it was the knife used to kill Faraday. Badd admits that neither he nor Faraday knew about the key being a knife, and neither did anyone in law enforcement. Edgeworth then gets Badd to disclose what he's looking for- the key. Badd swore to protect the key with his life, but it disappeared after Faraday's murder. Edgeworth then insists that Badd testify about where he was at the time of the crime, and Badd agrees.

Edgeworth vs. Badd, "Det. Badd's Movements"

Badd tells the same story as before- he was with Yew in Lobby #1 until he heard the gunshot, then ran out, saw Gumshoe and went into Lobby #2.  But this time, Edgeworth has more evidence, and asks Badd about whether he heard any strange sounds, only for Badd to say no. Edgeworth then brings up the balloon, and how the judge mistook the sound of it popping for a gunshot. Since it happened 20 minutes before the end of the recess, and Badd was in Lobby #1, he should have heard it... but Badd says that the lobbies are soundproofed. Edgeworth is dismayed that this makes Gumshoe's claim to not have heard a struggle completely useless. 

Edgeworth recovers his composure and realizes that if Badd couldn't hear the balloon pop, Gumshoe couldn't have heard the real gunshot. Edgeworth asks how Badd heard the shot, and Badd is left at a loss for words, while Franziska demands that Edgeworth explain what he's getting at.

A Logic sequence follows. Edgeworth remembers that Badd opened a window to let the smell of Yew's perfume out, and realizes that the killer didn't open the windows to escape but to let a sound out- that of the loud television. He then concludes that the surveillance tape was used to imitate the sound of a gunshot, and probably is still in the room. He decides to search the television, and Badd grudgingly lets him do what he wants.

Searching for the Tape

The investigation resumes.

Edgeworth recalls the time when Gumshoe touched the TV and caused a racket, but doubts whether Gumshoe actually touched the TV. He concludes that the tape stopped on its own, and checks the video player. Edgeworth rewinds the tape, and Badd tells him that the footage of Rell shooting Mann is 30 minutes into the tape. Edgeworth sees the  murder footage, and concludes that he's found the missing evidence. Edgeworth can then prove his theory- the sound of the gunshot came from the surveillance footage and passed through the window, after the killer murdered Rell with the gun in the soundproof room. The killer's goal was simple- to mislead the others as to the time of the murder. Edgeworth concludes that the crime was carried out before Gumshoe was assigned to guard duty, and the killer had no alibi during that time.

The bailiff asks Edgeworth to come meet with Yew, who wants to meet with him in the courtroom. Yew claims she's identified the culprit but wants to clarify some things, and Edgeworth realizes the time has come to find the truth.

The player receives a final save point before the case reaches its climax.

Showdown in the Courtroom

Edgeworth meets with Yew in the courtroom, but sees Kay there first. Kay is still investigating, and Edgeworth is about to tell her the truth- that what she's been looking for has already been found- but Badd interrupts, insisting that it's kinder to keep Kay in the dark.

Edgeworth and Kay go to the prosecution's side of the court, while Yew waits at the defense. Incidentally, the sides of the courtroom- the prosecutors are on the left facing the judge's bench, while the defense is on the right- works well with the standard "confrontation" scenes, in which Edgeworth is on the left and his opponent is on the right.

Yew finds the idea of laying the case to rest hilarious, saying they settled things when they arrested Gumshoe. Yew dismisses Franziska as a spectator and is surprised to see Badd, but Badd says he has a duty to see this case through. Yew claims, based on statements from everyone present and the lack of an escape route from the crime scene, that Gumshoe is the only possible suspect. Edgeworth, unimpressed by Yew's evidence, insists on giving a rebuttal, since they are in a court of law. Yew is amused by Edgeworth's rookie-like attitude, but decides to play along, while Edgeworth is confident he's already won.

Edgeworth vs. Yew: "Ms. Yew's Argument"

Yew reiterates her argument and challenges Edgeworth for a rebuttal, but Edgeworth decides to draw out her "trump cards." He asks about her claim that everyone but Gumshoe had an alibi, pointing out that Gumshoe's alibi has been proven. He then asks about the possibility of escaping the window, but Yew says the police found no evidence(not mentioning the bars that make escape impossible), and that there are no escape routes for criminals at all. 

Having gathered enough information, Edgeworth asks Yew if she confirmed his or Franziska's alibis, and Yew says yes- Edgeworth's alibi is Manfred von Karma, while Franziska's is a security guard who stopped her. Edgeworth proceeds to asking Yew about the time before Gumshoe arrived, and when Yew insists that Gumshoe's guilty, Edgeworth says it's possible the crime occurred at a different time, and the gunshot they heard was a trick. Edgeworth proves this with the security camera footage. He says that after killing Faraday and Rell, the culprit turned on the VCR, set the volume to maximum and set it to play so the gunshot would occur 30 minutes later. Yew reminds Edgeworth and Franziska about the soundproof lobbies, and while Edgeworth is unwilling to admit having been ignorant of that until recently, points out that the window was open. He realizes that the person who caused the window in Lobby #1 to be open is the killer, then formally accuses Yew of the murder.

Franziska and Badd are shocked, while Yew is unfazed, claiming Edgeworth doesn't have enough evidence. 

Edgeworth vs. Yew: "Ms. Yew's Rebuttal"

At this point, "Confrontation: Presto," which is generally reserved for cross-examining the culprit, plays. Yew challenges Edgeworth to prove his accusations, then chides him for having holes in his logic. Unfortunately for her, Edgeworth can prove she opened the window, by producing her perfume and pointing out that she spilled it at just the right time, so they could hear the gunshot on the surveillance video. That timing was convenient for Yew, who'd called Badd into Lobby #1 to give herself an alibi. Yew is taken aback, but insists she couldn't have killed Faraday, and begins the last testimony.

Edgeworth vs. Yew: "Why It Couldn't Be Me"

Yew mocks Edgeworth basing his accusation on her spilling a bottle of perfume, claims he's a forger of evidence as one of von Karma's disciples, and claims she has no idea where the knife used to kill Faraday came from.

Edgeworth realizes that the latter statement can't be true if Yew is the killer, so he claims the knife came from Faraday's evidence bag. Yew says she had no idea he had a knife, but Edgeworth says Faraday had yet to present it. At that point, Yew retorts that the only evidence Faraday had yet to present was the key, and unless it could turn into a knife, Edgeworth has no case.

Edgeworth then presents the Yatagarasu Key, and explains its transformation mechanism. He claims that Yew knew about the key and the mechanism, which makes her the killer. Yew then demands to see the key to verify that it's actual evidence, and Edgeworth complies.  Yew concedes that the knife has the trick, and Edgeworth says that its highly suspicious that Yew knows all this despite not being in law enforcement. Yew claims that Faraday told her, but Edgeworth replies that Faraday didn't know about the hidden knife, and while Yew argues that he wouldn't have written it down, Edgeworth notes that Badd didn't know, either. Edgeworth then accuses Yew of being the Yatagarasu.

The Truth Revealed

Yew breaks down laughing, declaring that this is even more thrilling than breaking into places. Badd demands to know whether Yew killed Faraday, but Yew says that her name is a fake, and that she is the Yatagarasu. Yew claims that Faraday uncovered her identity, so she made Rell a deal- accuse Faraday in court and she'd see to it that he was acquitted. Faraday spoiled the plan by interrogating Rell, so Yew had to kill both of them to protect her identity. She went in to check on Rell, changed the key to the knife, and instantly stabbed and killed Faraday.

With Faraday dead, Rell was the only loose end remaining. Yew had decided that using a gun was too risky, but then she remembered the surveillance tape,  She then had Rell set up the crime scene and shot him dead once he had finished. Edgeworth calls her out on betraying a client, apparently considering loyalty to one's client to be the only principle a lawyer possesses, but Yew says she was Rell's client, having hired him to kill Mann. She wanted Mann dead because he was about to disclose information about the smuggling ring that she belongs to, making her in league with Coachen.

Edgeworth insists that Yew can't escape, but Yew taunts Edgeworth, pointing out that the Yatagarasu, a three-legged crow of Japanese mythology, has three legs, because it has more than one weapon, whereupon she draws a gun and points it at Edgeworth. She then mocks him for handing the key over to her, after warning him not to let his guard down around a criminal. Badd tells them to get down, and Franziska falls to the floor, but Edgeworth remains frozen in place until Kay calls out to him to the right, causing him to get down in time to avoid the bullet. Yew then runs out of the courtroom, Badd in hot pursuit, and Kay runs out afterward.

Edgeworth regains his composure enough to check on a shaken Franziska. He notices Kay is missing, then hears a second gunshot.

Aftermath

Some time later, Badd, Gumshoe and the judge return to the courtroom. Badd apologizes for letting Yew get away, but says that he set up a perimeter. Apparently, Yew narrowly missed Badd with her gun, putting another hole in the detective's jacket, and he's sweating bullets(no pun intended). Badd, having gained enough respect for Edgeworth and Franziska to call them "Mr. Edgeworth" and "Ms. von Karma,"(he and Manfred use each other's last names without courtesy titles) asks if they're hurt, and they say they're fine, with Edgeworth crediting Kay. Badd asks about Kay's whereabouts, and Badd decides to look for her.

Badd asks for a word with Gumshoe and apologizes for doubting him, but Gumshoe isn't too angry, admitting to lying. Badd mentions that he heard the truth from Kay, and says that while giving false testimony is "unforgivable," he understands that Gumshoe wanted to protect Kay's feelings, and he might have the makings of a good detective. Badd then leaves to catch Yew.

Gumshoe thanks Edgeworth, who says he's glad he resolved it before Gumshoe went to prison. The judge apologizes to Gumshoe, who reiterates that he also lied in his testimony, while Franziska mentions that Yew would have found another way to frame Gumshoe even without the judge's testimony. Nevertheless, Gumshoe remarks that it's scary to think he almost got fired during his first week, and in response, Edgeworth tells him to work hard. Edgeworth gives Gumshoe the Swiss roll, and Gumshoe, overjoyed, says he owes a thank you to Kay, having not noticed her absence. He then decides to join Badd in searching for her, but first, says he should probably be more polite to Edgeworth. Instead of his usual habit of addressing people as "pal," he addresses him as "Mr. Edgeworth," with borderline-excessive use of "sir." Edgeworth is inwardly dismayed, knowing Gumshoe will be nothing but trouble. Considering Gumshoe's well-intentioned but bumbling approach to detective work, I can't fault Edgeworth too much.

Back to the Present

In the present day, a teenage Kay gives Edgeworth his cravat back, and Edgeworth finally remembers Kay. Gumshoe, apparently not having seen Kay after Yew's escape, asks where she went, and Kay mentions that her mother's relatives took her in(implying her mother is also dead or no longer present in her life) and she lived far away.

Kay mentions that she went through her father's bookshelves when Edgeworth interrupts, saying that he doesn't know why she came all this way to see him or why she's calling herself the Yatagarasu, since the thief is Calisto Yew, who killed Byrne Faraday. Kay corrects Edgeworth, saying that she looked through her father's diary, and found that he was the Yatagarasu. Edgeworth still doesn't believe her, but Kay produces Little Thief, her security system-disarming gadget, and says that is the proof of her father being the Yatagarasu.

Kay mentions that despite her father's death and the end of the Yatagarasu, the Yatagarasu has been spotted again recently, and shows Edgeworth an article about the Yatagarasu's card being delivered to the embassy. Kay is convinced that Yew is responsible, since the real Yatagarasu wouldn't send a card, but Edgeworth notes that Badd told him otherwise seven years ago. In any case, Kay is convinced Edgeworth can find the truth behind the Yatagarasu.

Edgeworth says that he can't be complicit in a crime, but Kay says that all she wants is to see Yew arrested, and is confident that Edgeworth, who exposed her in the past, can manage that feat. Edgeworth says that Kay saved his life seven years ago and helped him with the investigation today, so to repay her, he will help her solve the case as long as she stays within the law. Gumshoe is pleased, much to Edgeworth's annoyance, as he's rather close with Kay despite having forgotten her until a moment ago.

The case concludes with Edgeworth observing that he's more confused than ever as to the Yatagarasu's identity- Calisto Yew, Byrne Faraday or Kay Faraday- but noting that the case will be resolved the next day.

Conclusion

All in all, Turnabout Reminiscence works well as a case. It provides necessary exposition on the Yatagarasu, which is a key part of the story, and helps explain how the smuggling ring became relevant to the story. It stumbles a bit in showing Edgeworth at his worst, but nevertheless uses his backstory well in showing why he empathizes with Kay.

As a bit of an announcement, this may be my last Ace Attorney Case File, at least for a while, considering how time-consuming they are to write. If I resume this, I may do them in the style of the old Danganronpa Case Files(a series I may also return to later), focusing on a more general summary of the case rather than a blow-by-blow synopsis.