Summary
TheAce Attorneyseries is known for many things, including its fast-paced courtroom battles, thrilling murder mysteries, and quirky characters. However, the backbone of every Ace Attorney game is the fierce rivalry between the defense lawyer and the main prosecutor. you may’t have an exciting trial without some good competition, and each entry introduces a new rival to cause trouble for the defense team.
Not only does the dynamic between rivals create some of the funniest banter in the series, but it often provides tons of emotional conflict that pushes Phoenix Wright and his team to their limits. Several rivalries have formed throughout the series' history, but the following are the very best Ace Attorney has to offer.
Number of Cases
Three
Not every rivalry needs to be antagonistic. A case in point is the friendly competition between Apollo Justice and Klavier Gavin. These two have a lot of baggage, given that Apollo got Klavier’s brother thrown in jail andKlavier got Apollo’s mentor disbarred. Yet they manage to keep things relatively civil with just enough disdain to create some intense courtroom battles.
Their conflict mainly stems from their clashing personalities. Justice’s uptight demeanor and blatant jealousy are the perfect foil for Gavin’s playful teasing and slight rock-star egotism, leading to plenty of hilarious banter between the two. Despite their differences, they’re more than willing to call a temporary truce and work together to pursue the truth.
Five
Simon Blackquill is one of two rivals to face off against every member of the Wright Anything Agency, and he has a unique dynamic with each of them. Whether he’s terrifying poor Apollo, taking advantage of Athena’s naivete, or clashing with Phoenix’s wisdom, you can always expect a thrilling trial when he’s at the prosecutor’s desk.
Arguably, Blackquill’s most interesting dynamic is with Athena Cykes. What started as a close friendship turned into fierce rivalry when Simon went to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Because of this, each trial has an underlying emotional conflict in which Cykes tries to get him to open up, but he pushes her away every time. It’s definitely among the most heart-wrenching rivalries in the series.
Four
Edgeworth went toe-to-toe with two rivals during his short tenure at his late father’s defense firm. Eustace Winner (also known as Sebastian Debeste) isn’t the most formidable opponent. In fact, he’s pretty clueless half the time, resulting in many humorous debates in which Miles is completely dumbfounded at his flimsy logic.
The real threat is Eustace’s mentor, Judge Verity Gavèlle (also known as Justine Courtney). As the game’s primary debate moderator, Gavèlle often rigs arguments against Edgeworth and obstructs his investigation due to a mysterious vendetta. Overall, Eustace and Verity are a fascinating duo with no shortage of funny and suspenseful battles with Miles.
Wielding Swords And Smashing Wine Bottles Since 1899
First Encounter
The Adventure of the Runaway Room (The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures)
Ryunosuke Naruhodo has it rough. It’s his first murder trial in England, and he’s already up against The Reaper of the Bailey, Barok van Zieks, who’s rumored to send all defendants to their deaths. Ryunosuke’s timid and nervous demeanor plays exceptionally well off of van Zieks' theatrical and passive-aggressive personality.
The two have a plethora of memorable encounters, ranging from Naruhodo’s horrified reactions to van Zieks breaking wine bottles in court to Barok’s utter bewilderment at Ryunosuke’s inexperience. Yet, they don’t stay rivals for very long. Their cooperation and eventual reconciliation make for one of the best character arcs in the series.
Scathing Enemies With A Tragic Past
The Stolen Turnabout (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations)
Few Ace Attorney rivalries are as intense as the one between Phoenix and theenigmatic prosecutor Godot. Not only is Godot a cunning opponent, but he also has a deep hatred for Wright, so much so that he refuses to call Phoenix by his name. While his motives are a mystery for most of the game, Wright eventually learns that their feud is tied to a long and tragic past.
Godot views himself as a failure for not being there to protect Mia Fey when Redd White attacked her. Unable to face the guilt, he takes his rage out on Phoenix - the only other person who could have saved her. It all culminates in an epic trial where all secrets are revealed, and the two engage in one final duel to settle everything.
A Fierce Sibling Rivalry
Bridge to the Turnabout (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations)
Six
Edgeworth has donned a defense attorney’s badge only once, and his opponent was none other than his very own sister. There’s a lot of bad blood between Franziska and Miles, most of which stems from their philosophical clash. While Edgeworth is focused on finding the truth, von Karma is only concerned with winning, no matter the cost.
However, there’s a much deeper conflict that dates back to their childhood. Franziska idolized Miles as a kid and felt abandoned when he left home and never returned. The truth is they care deeply about each other but are unable to be vulnerable enough to express it. The result is a frenemy dynamic where they sometimes work together and sometimes oppose each other.
One
Every Ace Attorney fan knows the legendary duel between Gregory Edgeworth and Manfred von Karma. The two lawyers almost immediately hated each other, thanks to Gregory’s righteousness and von Karma’s tendency to cheat. Their fight became so intense that it led to many aggressive debates and even murder.
At the time, Gregory was the only defense attorney brave enough to call out von Karma’s illegal tactics. Manfred pulled out every dirty trick to win the trial, including coercing witnesses and forging evidence. The rivalry grew so heated that von Karma shot Edgeworth in cold blood. While the ending is tragic, their conflict led to one of thegreatest cases in Ace Attorney’s history.
No rivalry can compare to the iconic competition between Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth. The two became childhood best friends when Miles defended Phoenix during a class trial. Everything turned sour when Edgeworth lost his father, and his views on humanity grew twisted and cynical. Years later, the two find themselves at opposite ends of the courtroom, one fighting only to win and the other fighting to get back his best friend.
These two have the best dynamic in the series. No matter the circumstances, they always challenge each other to grow as lawyers and as people. While Wright reminds Edgeworth about the morals they held as kids, Edgeworth, in turn, pushes Wright to become a better attorney and question some of his views on what it means to be a good lawyer. The two complement each other perfectly and will always be the best Ace Attorney rivalry.
