Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Part #57 - Episode 3, Day 3, Trial: T-bone Turnabout

Part 57: Episode 3, Day 3, Trial: T-bone Turnabout

Part 57: Episode 3, Day 3, Trial: T-bone Turnabout

Music: Silence

We're back for a second day of trial in this crazy case.

Music: Courtroom Lobby ~ Beginning Overture

Yeah, I don't know what to say, either, Will.

We've gained a few pieces of seemingly critical evidence, but I still have no idea what to do with them. We've lost the trailer key that we "borrowed", but otherwise this list is the same as last update. We have an empty bottle of sleeping pills that seems suspiciously tied to Will's sudden afternoon nap, a severed statue head that forms an unbreakable alibi for all our new additions to the cast, and an album of photos - taken by a grade-schooler - that may or may not include the murder itself.

...

Umm... Mr. Wright?

Yes?

Where should we start? I have a very loose theory of the crime, but don't have any way to connect it together with what we know of the murder or the evidence we have. I am pretty sure that Sal Manella (the director) somehow got the sleeping pills into Will's lunch, stole the Steel Samurai costume, and snuck over to Studio One with it (faking Will's leg injury along the way). However I'm not confident he's actually the killer! That feels more like Dee Vasquez? Or maybe this is more of a "Murder on the Orient Express" situation? Are we just going to mess around again today and have the "real" trial tomorrow?

O-oh! Oh, nothing! Eh heh heh.

Really, it's nothing.

Right, Mia?

^{Sound: Realization}

At least Mia is still with us. Although her help backfired on us yesterday.

Phoenix.

Wow, harsh! And right in front of Will, too! Sheesh.

Perhaps that's why I feel particularly close to him.

This is no time for dead-people jokes, please.

You know we're going into this trial utterly defenseless.

Yet, if Mr. Powers is truly innocent...

Something "overlooked"...?

We have to find something, Phoenix, today.

It's that, or lose the trial.

(This isn't going to be easy.)

Music: Silence

I was curious, so I went back and looked at what lobbies and courtrooms we've been in so far:

Episode 1: Defendant Lobby No. 2, Courtroom No. 2
Episode 2, Trial Days 1 and 2: Defendant Lobby No. 1, Courtroom No. 1
Episode 3, Trial Day 1: Defendant Lobby No. 3, Courtroom No. 4
Episode 3, Trial Day 2: Defendant Lobby No. 1, Courtroom No. 4

What does that all mean? No idea. It's neat that they're rotating through different lobbies and courtrooms, though it's kind of weird that for this episode the numbering doesn't match between the two. Also usually there is one judge dedicated to each courtroom, rather than having them move around. So now in my head there are identical quadruplet goofball judges running each of these courtrooms!

^{Sound: Gallery}

Each courtroom looks the same, as far as I can tell. The gallery appears to always be the same, too. You can still tell that it's Mia rather than Maya next to us, though. She's...taller.

^{Sound: Gavel}

Music: Trial

Neat little camera-shifting effect, and everyone is ready to go!

Very well. Mr. Edgeworth, your opening statement, please.

Yesterday, we learned that there were other people present at the studios.

I get that this format is more of an inquisition than what Americans think of as a trial, but it's weird that the prosecution gets a new opening statement each day. I guess it serves as a recap for the player if they haven't been paying attention?

Very well.

(I wonder if it'll be that producer...)

Could be, she was pretty convincing in proving out her alibi.

(...or that director.)

Or we could have to cross-examine this guy. Still, better to take a crack at the seemingly less-competent conspirator?

I don't think I noticed before, but what is with that hat? And does he have a towel draped around his neck for all that sweat? They really did a great job designing a total creeper here.

Will the witness state his name and profession?

...

^{Sound: Whack}

J00 don't know ME!?

I'm the director! I make the Steel Samurai, n00b! ROFL!
^{Sound: Damage 2}
^{Sound: Drama Pound}

His dialogue is so much harder to transcribe...

^{Sound: Realization}

^{Sound: Light Bulb}

Edgeworth nailing the silent intimidation routine here. Hold on, I've been inspired:

There, let that one haunt you for awhile.

Were you at Global Studios on the day of the murder?

Y-yes, Your Honor.

Hmm...

Phoenix.

Music: Silence

If Powers is innocent, you know what that means.

Someone in the trailer on that day did it!

^{Sound: Testimony 2}

Music: Questioning - Moderato

That's the weirdest thinking-face sprite I've seen yet.

It took a lot more time than I thought it would.

But I had a meeting in the Studio Two trailer, so I ended up skipping lunch.

Didn't we see a couple of empty plates outside the trailer? That's a weird one to lie on. Guess we should've taken those plates as evidence!

During the meeting, well, I'm pretty sure no one left their chairs.

That's about it.

What, not even a bathroom break? Unlikely with all that liquid on the table.

Music: Silence

Hmm...

And according to your testimony, you were in a meeting at that time.

Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross-examination.

Yes, Your Honor.

^{Sound: Testimony 2}

Not seeing how any of our evidence will help here, I'll have to see if pressing helps.

Music: Questioning - Moderato

I was at the studios from around 9:00 that morning.

Is that when you always come in to work?

(Yeah, I know all about the freaks in your "industry"...)

Huh?

Another spoken emoticon, well done.

Tell us more about that.

During the morning, I was doing... umm... an action scene run-through.

In the Employee Area?

That's right.

Was anyone else at the run-through?

She was cheering on Hammer, if you can believe it.

(She certainly has the lungs for it...)

Anyone else?

Definitly looking like Mr. Manella here was the one in the costume, faking Will's leg injury. No one else knew about the injury; unless maybe someone blabbed about it? But how to prove it...

It took a lot more time than I thought it would.

Why did it go on so long?

Um, I'm pretty sure j00've already heard about this...

There's our confirmation that the director knew about the injury.

(Oh, right, thus the limp.)

I hear that everyone else ate lunch in the Employee Area...

What exactly did they have for lunch?

(Come to think of it, there was a plate with some bones on it in the Employee Area.)

But I had a meeting in the Studio Two trailer, so I ended up skipping lunch.

This line doesn't make a lot of sense; there was already earlier dialogue yesterday about the director and the producer having lunch at Studio Two. Whatever, we'll just keep pressing.

So, in the end, you didn't get to eat?

Yeah. No steak, at least! Can j00 believe it?

That must have been tough.

Didn't we literally see more steak remains at the Studio Two entrance?

Mia is still helping us out; I guess the kid gloves aren't really off yet.

Yeah?

Oh do we get to object based on our own observations, even without something in the court record? That's neat. Still, let's see the rest of the cross before we continue, and pretend we didn't notice anything here.

Well, no, not really. Seems pretty straightforward.

(Hint: Mia's never wrong.)

We were in the meeting until around 4:00...

What were you discussing?

The Steel Samurai story, and our budget.

Get this! The sponsors turn to me and say, "Mr. Manella."

(Actually, I kind of can.)

During the meeting, well, I'm pretty sure no one left their chairs.

You didn't take a single break?

Er... well...

^{Sound: Light Bulb}

Do you think he's actually saying his emote, too? Or just spontaneously producing more sweat beads on command?

(Hmm... what's he sweating so much about, I wonder?)

(If only I had an idea...)

We've gone through all the testimony. There's a pretty clear path forward here to get that "idea" he mentioned, but let's see what advice Mia has for us:

Phoenix.

If his alibi holds, Powers is finished.