By Anh Nguyen & Zuriel Pagan

 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations Official Soundtrack, ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD

Few games can blend courtroom drama, absurd humor, and emotional storytelling as masterfully as well as Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations. Released in 2004, Trials and Tribulations doesn’t just continue Phoenix Wright’s journey; it completes his story arc perfectly. Within its tightly woven narrative of unforgettable characters and moments, this third installment in Capcom’s beloved visual novel series redefines the entire trilogy. This storytelling game comprises of different cases and brings everything together into a dramatic finale. This installment stands out not only in the storytelling driven genre but also to the entire Ace Attorney franchise. But what is it about Trials and Tribulations that makes it so special? Why do Ace Attorney fans still consider this installment the pinnacle towards Phoenix Wright’s journey?

SPOILER WARNING: This page will have spoilers for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations. It is advised for viewers to play or read the stories of the previous two installments before proceeding (see video 1). The links of the two games can be seen from the titles given: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice for All.

Video 1: Ace Attorney Trilogy Recap with Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth (
@Ace Attorney) ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

As said by a certain character for the theme of this game,

Image 1: Getting Ready with Godot’s Special Black Blend of Coffee ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

“Justice is blind, but she’s not deaf. Sometimes you have to know when not to talk.“

– Godot

A Narrative That Rewards Loyalty

Unlike its predecessors, Trials and Tribulations isn’t just a collection of standalone cases—it’s a carefully constructed narrative where every episode has its relevance. The game’s five episodes go back and forth from the present to the past through flashbacks within the span of many years. They build off from each other and leads into Bridge to the Turnabout as a finale that ties everything together.

Episode 1: Turnabout Memories

This case takes place four and a half years prior to The Stolen Turnabout as the player plays as Mia Fey for her second courtroom trial. The player would need to defend third-year Ivy University student, Phoenix Wright, for the murder of Doug Swallow. The first episode doesn’t require any scene investigations as it is only a court trial.

For this first episode, it chronological debuts Phoenix Wright and Dahlia Hawthorne. Through two court sessions, Mia proves Phoenix’s innocence, but with Phoenix discovering Dahlia’s true colors in the courtroom differs from the Dollie he knew. The motive for this murder has to do with the poisoning of a defense attorney, Diego Armando, eight months earlier within the courthouse. The suspect of the crime at the time is Dahlia Hawthorne and she needed a way to pass off the poison. She met Phoenix at the basement library and offer her necklace to her “new love.” They went out for six months and refuses to give the necklace back.

Doug Swallow has began to suspect her as he knew she has taken the poison eight months ago. He had gone out with her and noticed the poison missing after he showed her the laboratory. He arranged to meet with Phoenix to warn him of the danger. The victim told Phoenix everything and Phoenix didn’t believe what he was hearing compared to the person he knew for six months. Phoenix pushed the victim to the electrical pole and walked away.

Dahlia had witnessed the entire confrontation and decided then to kill Doug Swallow. Phoenix came back out of concern for the victim and noticed Dahlia present at the scene. She told Phoenix to not say a word about her involvement, but several student discovered the scene moments later. This implicated Phoenix for the crime since he was at the crime scene.

Mia knows what kind of person she had to be dealing with with her previous meeting with Dahlia Hawthorne. She believes in Phoenix’s innocence and continued to fight until she came with the proof. Even when Phoenix ate the small bottle neck after his escape from the courtroom, Mia notices that poison was stolen again from the same laboratory. Doug Swallow realized this and arranged the meeting with Phoenix.

Mia comes to the conclusion that Dahlia had planned to kill Phoenix to take the necklace back. The poison was dosed in Phoenix’s cold medication, which he had noticed was missing during lunch with his Dollie. She intended to poison Phoenix that day but killed Doug Swallow instead. She didn’t want to be seen with the poison, so she gave the poisoned cold medicine to the victim to clasp in his hand.

Honestly, how can any woman ever count on you for anything? I even told you time and time again to keep your trap shut about me and that necklace. …You disgust me!

– Dahlia Hawthorne

The poisoned medicine was enough evidence to indict Dahlia Hawthorne and this trial shows the dark personality under the pink parasol. She vowed to see Mia Fey again as she admitted defeat for this trial. The case showcases Mia’s powers determination and defense to believe in her clients. It also highlights her struggles to take down Dahlia Hawthorne as the main villain to this case and Dahlia’s involvement for Bridge to the Turnabout.

Image 2: Episode 1: Turnabout Memories Art Cover ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

Phoenix’s close call to becoming a victim motivates him into becoming a voice for justice. Though this case still affected him and brought up many painful memories to Phoenix, Mia’s legacy lives on through him with her words and wisdom to guide him for his career towards the future.

Godot – The Prosecutor Who Lost Everything

Masked, coffee-obsessed, and dripping with poetic bitterness, Godot isn’t a traditional rival. His grudge against Phoenix is deeply rooted and personal in his loss and regrets. His final confrontation isn’t just about winning a trial, but it’s more about how he makes a realization on confronting his own failures.

Thematic Depth: Truth, Bias, and Justic

Godot’s quote listed above encapsulates the game’s central conflict. Trials and Tribulations constantly challenges the idea of objective truth in a legal system driven by human emotion as evident in throughout every case.

Episode 2: The Stolen Turnabout

The second episode of this installment circles back to the present where the player controls Phoenix Wright. Wright has many twists and turns to go through to help his client. He needs to defend Ron DeLite against charges for the Kuran Sacred Urn theft and then later for the murder of Kane Bullard.

Godot debuts in this episode as the prosecutor of the cases. The trials have Ron DeLite free from any imprisonment as Luke Atmey faces punishment for being fingered the culprit of both crimes. The motive of these crimes are as intricate as the crimes themselves. Luke Atmey has been blackmailing Ron for his first theft and forces Ron to commit more robberies. The victim figure out the scheme and starts to blackmail Luke Atmey. Luke thought to getting rid of two birds with one stone. He almost accomplishes it by framing Ron for the murder and implicating himself as Mask DeMasque for a lesser offense with the theft of the Kuran Urn.

No matter the man, we all wear masks… Either on our faces, or over our hearts.

– Godot

Image 3: Episode 2: The Stolen Turnabout Art Cover ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

It is through these two charges that shows the shift of attentions from a less serious crime to a serious one. The theft and murder intertwine with each other as Ron and Ace Detective, Luke Atmey, both are involved to the cases. This starts the question of who is truly the guilty party. Ron DeLite is the thief, Mask DeMasque, but Luke Atmey takes advantage of knowing his identity to commit more thefts. Ron is controlled through blackmail, like a marionette while Luke controlled the thief and the masses as the puppeteer.

This episode’s aftermath also brings a message on how to mend relationships between Ron DeLite and his wife. Phoenix demonstrates the resemblance of the Kuran Urn when it had already been broken before. This episode also highlights Godot’s vengeance and vendetta towards Phoenix as he would fight with him in an arena called the courtroom.

Episode 3: Recipe for Turnabout

Episode Three features the return of Maggey Byrde as she is accused and convicted for killing a computer programmer, Glen Elg, by poison. The story is set a whole month later from Maggie’s trial and isn’t pick up again until Dick Gumshoe informs Phoenix of the trial. Phoenix has no recollection as he isn’t the defense attorney for Maggie’s first trial. She has been a defendant of a third-rate defense by an impostor posing as Phoenix. The predicament gives Phoenix the grounds to declare a re-trial of the case.

A phony Nick!?

-Maya Fey

Phoenix is able to prove Maggey’s innocence by indicting the loan shark, Furio Tigre, as the killer of the case. Tigre has a huge debt to cover for Viola’s medical bills. Her grandfather and mob boss, Bruno Cadaverini, demanded him to pay the bill as he caused the accident that injured Viola. Tigre enlisted the help from the victim, who has a debt to pay for the loan shark, to make a potent computer virus to sell for millions of dollars.

Image 4: Episode 3: Recipe for Turnabout Art Cover ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

During the exchange between Tigre and the victim at Trés Bien, the victim wins the lottery from the radio and can get out of his debt with the lottery money. In desperation, the “Tiger” poisons the victim and frames Maggey of the murder after she faints. He stages an elaborate fake with the help of Viola and Chef Armstrong, who also owes Tigre money. The “murder” is played in front of Victor Kudo to witness the waitress (Viola) poisoning and killing the victim (Tigre). Armstrong asks Kudo to call the police and effectively frame Maggey for murder.

This crime might seem insignificant, but it shows irony to how Wright tricks a confession from the phony attorney. Phoenix presents a phony piece of evidence with the victim’s eardrop medication This crime might seem insignificant, but it shows irony to how the phony attorney is tricked to confess by Phoenix. He presents a phony piece of evidence with the victim’s eardrop medication for the cyanide bottle. Tigre doesn’t catch onto the ruse and identifies the correct bottle despite stating his lack of knowledge on the case. He admits to being the phony Phoenix and is exposed for his actions to cover up his crime.

After the trial, it also shows a glimmer of hope for Maggey as Phoenix explains Gumshoe’s involvement to help indict Tigre. Maggey has someone looking out for her and reward her with a lunch box weenies for her freedom. The trial also includes a vital clue for the last case as one piece of evidence presented in the courtroom, the ketchup-stained apron.

The Power of Flashbacks: Filling in The Gaps

One of Trials and Tribulations’ most brilliant narrative techniques is its use of flashback cases —The Turnabout Memories and Turnabout Beginnings— which aren’t just nostalgia trips, but essential puzzle pieces into the overarching story. These flashbacks don’t just provide backstory, but they reframe the entire trilogy. This would be essential for the final confrontation in Bridge to the Turnabout as the inevitable conclusion for hidden conflict.

Villains That Define the Story

Attorney thrives on its villains, and Trials and Tribulations delivers two of the series’ best:

Dahlia Hawthorne.

Dahlia Hawthorne – The Face of Pure Evil

Dahlia isn’t just your regular criminal; she’s a force of malice who manipulates, betrays, and even kills without remorse. Her crimes span throughout years with her shadowy presence looming over the entire game. What makes her terrifying isn’t only limited to just her actions, but how she weaponizes trust and cleverly turns her manipulation into willful acts upon those who are casted under her spell. The victim(s) falls under her thumb and would do as she instructs.

Episode 4: Turnabout Beginnings

Episode Four is courtroom-based only with no crime scene investigations. This case follows Mia Fey as she defends a prison escapee, Terry Fawles. He was convicted of a kidnapping and murder of a teenage girl, which landed him with a death row sentencing. This trial takes place one year before Episode One as Mia needs to defend her client from murdering the same policewoman, Valerie Hawthorne, who testified against him. The case also prominently features rookie prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, a coffee-loving man who looks strikingly similar to Prosecutor Godot, Diego Armando.

This complex case traces back to a kidnapping of a fourteen-year-old girl named Dahlia Hawthorne. There is a ransom exchange that takes place at Dusky Bridge. The confrontation lead to the teenage hostage falling from the bridge and the defendant’s subsequent arrest by the victim.

But that’s not the entire story. This whole kidnapping for ransom is a plot devised by Dahlia as a way to relieve her father from his prized jewel worth over two million dollars. Dahlia wrote the note and arrange the exchange at Dusky Bridge. The victim would bring the jewel and the defendant plays the kidnapper. No one would suspect otherwise since a police officer is involved. Valerie shoots the defendant and Dahlia jumps into the river below the bridge with the diamond in her backpack. Fawles fainted from his injury and Valerie arrests him on the spot.

The defendant couldn’t forget the testimony by the victim and arranges to meet with the victim before his ultimate death. He wanted answers to why the victim would make a false statement during his trial. The current cases hinges on the actions from the fake kidnapping as Valerie contacted her killer of this case, Dahlia Hawthorne. Valerie couldn’t have imagined to be murdered by her little sister as she saw Valerie as a hinderance to her plans. Valerie wanted to go public about her actions for her involvement in the fake kidnapping.

Dahlia killed her sister and put her body into the trunk of the car placed before the defendant came for the meeting. She would frame Terry Fawles for Valerie’s death and pretend to be Valerie at the meeting. As long as she wears a white scarf as the indicator, Dahlia can pass as Valerie and create an alibi for herself by taking a picture of this meeting with a timer on her camera. She would be a witness under the name Melissa Foster she receives from paperwork provided by Valerie after the incident. As the witness to the “assumed crime,” she can further implicate the defendant with her testimony and evidence she arranged. He would be caught for his escape and murder.

This trial shows Mia’s first encounter with Dahlia as Mia struggles to come up with the evidence to convict Dahlia Hawthorne with. This case shows how easily truth can be obscured by deception in the face of true evil. Mia sees through Dahlia’s lies and does everything in her power to find the truth. Even with the defendant’s testimony and the evidence, it still wasn’t enough.

The verdict comes to be inconclusive as the defendant, Terry Fawles, suddenly spits out blood and collapses. He has poisoned himself after putting poison into his own cup of coffee. Fawles has grabbed a small bottle necklace similar to necklace seen in Episode One that contained the poison before getting arrested. He makes a promise to Dahlia trust each other till death. If either one of them suspects doubt from one another, they would drink the bottle of poison. Fawles fears that he would Dahlia if he is set free. He commits suicide and dies during the trial’s proceedings. Without a defendant, it becomes a mistrial and Dahlia gets away with murder.

The only time a lawyer can cry is when it’s all over.

–Diego Armando

Image 5: Episode 4: Turnabout Beginnings Art Cover ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

This event is unpredictable and not one to expect when playing the game. This case literally shatters Mia’s confidence to stand in trial for a year as a defense attorney. Everyone involved in the case has been affected, and Dahlia smiles from the outcome. Diego Armando expresses his anger to the ruling, and Edgeworth ends up mortally scarred from his first trial.

No one wins or loses in this heartbreaking trial, as Phoenix reads over the case file at the hospital bed. He recalls his own experience in trial and Dahlia Hawthorne. Phoenix thought he could forget all about it and move on, but that is wishful thinking and come to realize how wrong he actual is.

The Final Trial: A Masterpiece of Payoff
Bridge to the Turnabout is not just the best case in Trials and Tribulations—it’s one of the greatest finales in gaming. Every revelation land with devastating impact as these antagonists elevate the stakes beyond a simple “whodunit” into a battle of ideals. It ties past and present characters together in a way that closes the interlocking timeline of the Ace Attorney series.

• The truth behind Godot’s mask, his identity, his pain, and his misguided quest for vengeance.
• Young Phoenix’s encounter with Dahlia explains why Godot harbors such resentment toward a grudge that he feels personal rather than professional.
• Dahlia’s final stand, possessing Maya in a last-ditch effort to escape justice.
• The reveal of Iris, the twin sister who contrasts Dahlia’s evil with genuine kindness.
  The case’s structure is flawless, with each new twist that forces the player to re-examine everything they thought they knew. By the end, even Godot—the game’s antagonist—becomes a tragic figure, not a villain

Episode 5: Bridge to the Turnabout

The fifth and final episode for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations and the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy. This episode acts as a final reunion of the main characters throughout the trilogy and also brings closure to the overall story arc for Phoenix Wright.

This is the only episode in the trilogy in which doesn’t allow the player to return to Wright & Co. Law Offices during an investigation. It is also the first episode with instances of Psyche-Locks that the player can never break.

The episode begins with Maya, Phoenix, and Pearl, as Maya asks for more spiritual training up in the mountains by Pearl’s encouragement. They meet the Head Nun, Sister Bikini, Elise Deauxnim, Sister Iris, and even Larry Butz at Hazakura Temple. Phoenix came due to the striking resemblance of Sister Iris to Dahlia Hawthorne. Sister Iris tried to not know Phoenix, but he clearly knows that she knew him.

This temple was not free of incident as Dusky Bridge from Episode Four was located in these mountains. The incident took place during the night as the dead body of children book author, Elise Deauxnim, was discovered under the statue of Mystic Ami impaled with the Shichishito, a Seven-Bladed sword. Phoenix discovered the crime along with Sister Bikini and noticed Dusky Bridge burning. Larry tried to stop him, but Phoenix run for Maya’s safety. The burning bridge couldn’t hold his weight and Phoenix fell into the river. While he was unconscious, Sister Iris was arrested for the crime due to Sister Bikini’s testimony.

This case allows players to play as Miles Edgeworth for his once-in-a-lifetime position as a defense attorney. After taking a plunge to the river from a collapsed Dusky Bridge, Phoenix asks Miles for a favor as he is bedridden with a severe cold. Miles fears that he can be recognized and can be in trouble for the deception. In ensure that doesn’t happen, Miles arranges that another judge to conduct the trial with Franziska von Karma being the prosecutor.

The case grows more complex as it involves spirit channeling of the executed Dahlia Hawthorne and branch Fey member criminal, Morgan Fey. Iris and Dahlia are twin daughters of Morgan when her first husband who left her. Phoenix realized that the defendant in the courtroom wasn’t actually Iris, but Dahlia Hawthorne who took her place. Dahlia confesses to the court when Phoenix exposes her true identity in court instead of the defendant, Iris. Dahlia has prior knowledge of her mother’s plan as Morgan visited her during her imprisonment. Morgan came up with a back up plan to kill Maya and make Pearl the new family head. She enlists Pearl to grab the letter she hidden and follow its instructions to channel Dahlia’s spirit that night. Pearl wasn’t able to channel the spirit and got stuck at the other side of temple for two days.

Even though Morgan’s plan is foiled, it doesn’t erase that Misty Fey was murdered and Prosecutor Godot insists on finding the truth. Iris was an accomplice to the killer and recalls receving a call from the killer. She retrieves the body by pendulum and transports to stage the crime scene, witnessed by Sister Bikini. She didn’t name the killer and the prosecutor wants Phoenix to discover the truth without Mia’s help. Mia knows the entire situation and has told Maya everything she knew.

Phoenix cross-examines Maya and she refuses to testify her account of that night. Phoenix figured out that the killer was stuck as well and realized the killer’s identity. It was Prosecutor Godot as the three lights form his goggles revealed the answer. Maya refused the claim as she knew who Godot was and Phoenix moves to indict Godot. The motive for the murder was due to Godot being Diego Armando and protect Maya Fey for Mia Fey’s sake. She was the love of his life and loss his time due to the poisoning incident years ago. He lost his sight and his hair turned white due to the poison he was feed.

He woke up years later from the smell of coffee and realized the time he lost. Mia was gone and Dahlia had been executed. He became a prosecutor for Maya Fey and battel against Phoenix. He knew of Morgan’s plan due to his position and played along with the plan. Godot asks for Iris and Misty’s help to stop the plan and he would be at the crime scene in case something happened. That’s all that Godot confessed to as he tells Phoenix to find the proof.

Phoenix notices the blood at the end of the blade Dahlia used to try to kill Maya. The blood on the knife ends up being the proof with a matching injury under the mask. Godot admits to defeat and sees Mia within Phoenix as a true defender to the truth. Godot doesn’t know why he did the act as he knew that the person in front of him wasn’t the real Dahlia Hawthorne. He knew that, but did it anyway. He realized his short comes and did it not to save Maya, but revenge to the woman he hated. Maya still believes in the good Godot have and he regains his name Diego Armando again. He starts bleeding under his mask with Phoenix pointing it out.

These must be… my tears. Ever since I woke up from my coma, I think I’ve been waiting for this very moment. You’d do well to remember this, Maya. The only time a lawyer can cry is when it’s all over.

–Diego Armando

Image 6: Episode 5: Bridge to the Turnabout Art Cover ©2004 CAPCOM CO., LTD.

This is the moment where everything was officially over and Iris confesses to her actions. She knew the consequences beforehand and had a confession to make with Phoenix. Iris was asking for his forgiveness for deceiving him back then. In fact, Iris was the one Phoenix was going out with. She was trying to get the necklace back within six months. Dahlia only met Phoenix twice at the courthouse and the day of Doug Swallow’s murder due to impatience to Iris’s failure to get the necklace. She felt responsible for the lies and for blood on her hands to vow not meet him again. Phoenix realized that her kindness was real and didn’t lose faith in that six months he spent with her.

Conclusion

This isn’t just a sequel; it’s a culmination. Past characters return, old wounds reopen, and every revelation feels earned. It was a come around story that brings everything together as the game brings these outcomes:

• Phoenix’s growth from a rookie to a true believer in justice.
• Mia Fey’s legacy, revealing her past battles with the game’s true
  antagonist.
• Maya Fey’s resilience, proving she’s more than just comic relief and Pearl Fey to learn the truth about her family with their evil intentions.
• Godot’s tragic vendetta, a storyline that blurs the line between
  prosecutor and victim.
• Phoenix’s journey is about overcoming personal bias whether he can battle in the courtroom on his own or with help from others.
• Godot’s vendetta is rooted in his refusal to accept reality, leading to his downfall.
• The game doesn’t just ask “Who committed the crime? “It asks, “Why do we believe what we believe?”

Main Characters

Why It Still Holds Up Today?

Nearly 20 years later, Trials and Tribulations remains a benchmark for storytelling in games because:

• Its characters feel real—even the villains have depth.
• Its pacing is impeccable—every case builds up toward the finale.
• Its themes are timeless—truth, justice, and the price of an obsession.

Game Iterations

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (2019) – New re-release of the trilogy

Anime: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Season 2

For fans of Ace Attorney, it’s the perfect finale to the original trilogy. For newcomers, it’s a testament to how video games can tell stories that resonate long after the final gavel falls. And for anyone who doubts the power of a well-told legal drama?

“Objection!”

The truth is out there and worth being the voice to fight for!

Works Cited

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations. Capcom,
2004

Sevakis, Justin, “Ace Attorney Season 2 (TV).” Anime News Network, Kadokawa Corporation, October 6, 2018, https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=21192

Tenor, Inc. “Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney GIF” Tenor, Google, April 25, 2020, https://tenor.com/view/phoenix-wright-ace-attorney-godot-prosecutor-courtroom-gif-17001133

Tenor, Inc. “Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright GIF.” Tenor, Google, March 31, 2021, https://tenor.com/search/phoenix-wright-objection-gifs

Wiki, Contributors to Ace Attorney. “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney –
Trials and Tribulations.” Ace Attorney Wiki, Fandom, Inc.,
aceattorney.fandom.com/wiki/Phoenix_Wright:Ace_Attorney–
_Trials_and_Tribulations.