I like to think of this as still trusting justice. See, if we assume the real Bobby Fulbright was like that, then even though we never met him, we helped him carry out the justice on his impersonator. You may kill one of its warriors, but justice will always have champions willing to defend it
Me playing case 2: Huh, that can come off as 'Injustice'...meh, it's probably just a little gag. Me playing the final case: ...WELL HOLY SHIT, NEVER MIND!
Ugh, knowing Bobby Fulbright was real and murdered is so sad... How could the Phantom take the life of a man so utterly devoted to justice!? IN JUSTICE WE TRUST
a cool thing I noticed happen was when Jinxie first met Fulbright. she threw her little demon things at him calling him a "ghost." at first you assume she says that out of surprise but you realize that she says it because, well, as we all know, Fulbright is the phantom, or the phantom is Fulbright.
I feel like the coolest thing in the game was the intro to case one when you see ted holding the bomb and text appears talking about how bombs erase and destroy then mentions blaming a little girl and you think its ted talking about blowing up the cortroom and blaming junie but after you beat the game you realize it was the phantom talking about blowing up the moon rock and blaming Athena
You know what I always find the creepiest thing about this guy? That part when, when he thinks he's won, his face suddenly becomes devoid of all emotion. It's then that you realize the guy in front of you really IS the Phantom. Those who finished the game will know what moment I'm talking about.
After that point he will occasionally make a that face for a split second before going through his typically exaggerated expressions. It really shows that he’s been forcing these emotions this whole time.
Phantom's breakdown was creepy enough as it was, on the same level as Kristoph's katatonia and Dahlia's exorcism. But you know what makes it even creepier? The fact that this person had all those masks ready to go. Solomon, Hugh, Aura, even Phoenix. If their "Bobby" persona was compromised, they were going to _kill and impersonate_ one of these people.
The fact that the next mask he had ready was Sol's makes me think he was originally the intended target of the Space Museum murder, but then Clay ended up being the victim instead
Something I've noticed few talked about: the phantom was the only villain to outright mock Mia Fey. "The hardest of times is when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles". While wearing Phoenix's mask and voice, no less. You could tell Phoenix was really pissed off at that moment.
There was a fan theory going around for a while that Matt Engarde was the Phantom's true identity. While likely untrue it IS interesting how he and the Phantom have the exact same expression when they realized how fucked they are for the exact same reason.
@@DefinitiveDubs Like I said, there are numerous road blocks in place for the Phantom actually being Matt. I just thought it was really interesting how there were certain parallels between Turnabout for Tomorrow and Farewell, My Turnabout.
@@blackknightjack3850 the fact that there was a headcanon saying shelly de killer was the phantom's shooter would make even more sense with the theory of Matt being the true phantom's identity
SPOILERS "So I lowered the emergency ladder like the detective leading the evacuation told me to" My heart almost stopped after reading this in court, I never thought HE would be the phantom, I didn't even think about it!
Well I had my doubts on him after learning the phantom has no fear, I thought : "Hey, fullbright is the only one that isnt' affraid or affected by blackquills so maybe ... nah ! he's too dumb to be sure a genius" yet I was as surprised as you, I thought he was a protector of justice and he was a bastard all this time, I felt so betrayed
(SPOILERS I THINK) I thought the spy was Candice Arme after I read those lines, but then I quickly realised that was not the case. I felt.... Betrayed :(
"So I lowered my emergency ladder like the detective leading the investigation told me to." I still remember the chills I got when the game highlighted "Detective leading the evacuation." One of the best plot twists I've ever experienced in a video game.
BIG SPOILERS HERE; I love this guy as a villain on so many levels, but for one main reason; With him, they took an element mostly used for comedy, and gave it a dark turn to the point where you're more disturbed by it then anything. I'm talking about wearing multiple masks on top of each other, and tearing them of, not revealing your actual face. This is the first time I've ever seen this concept used outside of comedy, and they build it up so well, to the point where you actually begin to understand exactly what's going through this guy's head. Like he said himself, he's an endless abyss. He's literally no one. He takes the faces of others, and uses them as a fake identity, to the point where his very downfall is that he can't remember who he is any-more. It's then that he begins madly ripping his masks off, screaming about trying to find his true face. For them to take something that has such strong comedic ties to it, and transform it into a rather sad and depressing breakdown, shows just how well this villain works. Those saying it's a lackluster villian don't seem to be looking at what this villain is really about. He's so much more then just "a random guy we never got the name off who's an ass-hole". There's so much to him, and the fact that he doesn't have a face or identity makes his actions all the more creepy. With the other villains, we knew who they were. We saw their faces, what they look like. With The Phantom, he's a shell, and the fact that we don't know what he looks like, who he is or anything about him, is what makes him self a creepy and disturbing villain. You can't see him. You can't look at him. You can't even refer to him by a name. He's not a "human" any-more, just like Phoenix thought to himself. Yet it's this that gives his breakdown such an ironic punch. He's brought down by emotions, despite being known for having no emotions. And he's brought down because he IS a human, and still feels like his own person, deep down, but he can't find his true face. There's so much psychological elements to his guy, which is fitting given Athena and the Mood Matrix, as well as so much that just makes him creepy as a villain. He's probably the most evil too; He was going to massacre a courtroom full of innocent people just to destroy some evidence. It was just because Ted warned everyone that no one died. No villain in the series prior would have gone that far. This guy is, both metaphorically speaking and LITERALLY speaking, an emotionless and cold-hearted *terrorist* that doesn't care about killing innocent people.
Green Tea Yes but for comedy purposes. Well, not nessesarcy straight out comedy, but Layton didn't do it in that much of a serious fashion. It was more "THAT GUYS IN A MASK", they pull the mask off and run away. My wording wasn't clear, but my point wasn't "THIS ONLY EVER EXISTED IN COMEDY SHOWS BEFORE NOW". I meant it as in, that this is the first time I've seen the masked villain plot done in a depressing, serious sense. And it's also the first time I've seen, where they leave the actual face of the villain a mystery. Any old series can pull the "that guy's in a mask" trick. But that's not what makes the phantom so damned interesting. What makes him a great villain, is ''*HOW*'' they represent this. You could even say that this game shows you the deeper, "real-life" effects of constantly acting as someone else. What would happen to you if you were someone who constantly wore other people's faces and literally never got to see your own face, never got to act like yourself, never even got to THINK your own thoughts. You had to be another person even to yourself. It would drive you insane, and in the end it does that to the Phantom, to the point where he goes insane, trying to find his true identity again. It makes you feel DEPRESSED for this guy, because you realize how empty his soul must actually be.
The scary part is, the Ace Attorney wiki lists the proper picture of the Phantom as being the one in Metis' uniform with the Japanese mask on. Understandably because it's an identity-less image of the Phantom so they don't resort to using an image of someone he impersonated but what's scary about using that image of him, is the fact it's so identity-less, soulless looking and unnerving just captures 'endless abyss' perfectly. Worst part is, before seeing Turnabout for Tomorrow, I saw that image of him and mistook it for his real identity making him appear in my mind to be a deformed, emotionless looking , non-human seeming being. It looked almost alien, which fits with the topic of the Cosmic turnabout and Turnabout for Tomorrow involving the space race and travelling to the stars.
HEAVY SPOILERS! I AM totally agreeing with you. You worded it perfectly, as the Phantom has to be one of the best villains I've had the pleasure of beating. I was tied to Fulbright like a lifeline, as when he is revealed to be the Phantom, that sorta surprised me. As the man who could cry a river could actually kill me in five seconds flat eithout batting an eye. It's actually pretty startling once you see Fulbright, or 'Foolbright', go from that, to the Phantom.
It may be Fulbright himself, who fabricated his death reports, vanished, then returned in his original form, the phantom. But we need proof and logic to prove this...
I don't know if anyone has noticed this yet, but the Phantom has so far the most character murders on his name. He killed Metis Cykes, Bobby Fullbright and Clay Terran. That's 3 main characters, that puts even Kristoph to shame. But above all else, he even almost succeeded in killing an entire courtroom, was 1 day close to Blackquill getting executed and almost got rid of Athena.
Dahlia might have him beat if you count people who died because of her, but as far as intended/potential victims go, the phantom definitely beats everyone with the courtroom bombing (who'd have guessed at the start of the game that we'd ever say, "Thank goodness for Ted Tonate").
Feriku You can't be sure about that. At the end of the final case Blackquill lists numerous crimes of what he committed. Pretty sure along those is murder of more people before the HAT-1 incident. Dahlia, well, she has 3 indirect murders, almost 4 if you count Godot getting screwed over by her. But im sure that Phantom has more murders on his name, atleast directly
Feriku De Killer kills on order, he probably also has a massive deathstreak. But the Phantom is allowed to dispose of anyone in his path to accomplishe his goal. Also, De Killer works on Trust, while Phantom doesn't have that at all
Nielsisback Right, as well as having an honor code. And I was thinking, you can add Sol Starbuck to the list of main characters the phantom almost killed, because of HAT-1.
I really loved the subtle foreshadowing, like how "fulbright" wasn't able to comprehend how to make it look like he was scared because he didn't know what true emotion was
Creepy as hell. Also that one scene where he thinks he won and is gonna get away, and his face just turns straight blank, emotionless. It gave me the chills!
THIS COMMENT IS A SPOILER FOR THE FINAL CASE . . . One of the few things that I find comfort in is knowing that the phantom is able to perfectly copy the person's personality, so I would've loved Bobby Fulbright had we actually met him...
I think the gut punch to go alongside that is that whatever physical state his body was in, it took **a year** for him to eventually be identified due to this case. We never knew if he had any friends or family, but the thought of being unidentified like that while someone wears your appearance is just horrifying
I think what made this such a fantastic twist isn't the foreshadowing we saw allthroughout the game. It's the real whiplast that it gives you. It really takes everything you know up to that point and dashes it. You can't even look at it the same way the second time around. Dude. The designated comic relief is this game's big bad! I literally screamed when the twist happened. "NOOOOO!"
I really wished that it was the real Fulbright from Monstrous to Academy and the Phantom just happened to kill Fulbright right before Cosmic. I really loved Fulbright's character :(
@@silverflight01 i wish the real Bobby didn't have to die. Maybe the phantom could have kept him secluded in some place and would have taken his identity for the whole game. And at the end maybe Phoenix, Apollo and Athena coulf have saved him? I really would have liked smth like that
@@assiaelmabrouki5552 Well the Phantom is an assassin. Why let him be alive when it'd be better to just silence him forever would be where Phantom's train of thoughts go.
They really took advantge of the 3d shift to make something they couldn't have pulled off before. His slow, detailed breakdown would have been a nightmare to animate with sprites, and I think that's amazing
@@mega20able yep, as a 2d animator I can say that scene would be an utter headache to make. Possible for sure, but it would take a lot of time and a sizable team of people to produce good results
after beating the game I played the special episode and when I saw Fulbright again I just couldn't look him. I was like:"yeah, I'm cooperating with the fucking main villain of this game"
Me too lol Turnabout Reclaimed hits harder knowing how Turnabout for Tomorrow ends. Better to play it chronologically if possible and play it before Turnabout Academy instead
@@CS_Oddities Then why do you bother replying to a thread of people who do? Just don't reply to that type of conversation at all if you have nothing to contribute to it.
Fun fact, According to PONCO the Phantom has also felt surprise at the moment Athena stabbed him in the hand, so we might be able to add one more emotion that the Phantom has felt other than fear.
this reveal made me scared to roam my own house. i mean, fulbright was set up to be that over-the-top good samaritan that people trust. but in actuality he's a kniving sociopath. which fits because sociopaths understand and can show emotion better than normal people because their brains have more resources to analyze social cues and such due to the lack of "feeling" going on.
opsonicfan358 I must add... Fulbright was actually dead throughout the game. The Fulbright we saw in the game was a fake... So Fulbright isn't a sociopath. Only the fake one ~ The Phantom.
I really wish the real Bobby Fulbright wasn't dead, especially considering he was an overwhelmingly positive guy whose body was brutally mutilated to the point that it was unidentifiable. People like him don't deserve that, so I kind of wish the Phantom died when he was shot at the witness stand.
This theme fits the phantom perfectly. Random and switching tempo/style quickly, yet still feeling like the same theme. Keeps you on your toes, like how he did.
"you got me, this is just another mask..." *Rips off mask* *Show's Aristotle Means's mask* 3:45 *"SURPRISE BITCHES, I TOLD YOU THAT THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS!"*
SPOILERS I think that the best part about the Phantom is that we never find out what he really looks like. You think of a certain face when you see him, but you never know what he truly looks like. When I think about the main villain of the game, it's much scarier to think of someone without a true identity. He might not be the *best* villain in the series, but he's certainly the most frightening. And of course, his track slaps hard.
Having finished the original trilogy, Apollo Justice, and Dual Destinies, I actually think the phantom might be the best villain except for Dahlia. He's an extremely creative and cleverly executed character.
It wouldn't mean anything to know what he looks like, he's a stranger, a shapeshifter. so by keeping his face hidden, but the mask he had worn last having a bullet through the forehead, it really hits home.
A reference to Poirot's last case. The one remaining criminal in the cabal was a famed doppelganger, who commits suicide by having his head crushed. In doing so, he throws one final middle finger to the detective, by ensuring that the final question he might have had is FOREVER unanswered.
I love this unsettling theme, the Phantom really feels like some sort of cryptid, especially in the final part when it's revealed what his true self is like (a bit of a strange description considering what I'm referring to but it's phrased that way to avoid potential spoilers). Definitely the most creepy villain in the series, not counting some spinoffs I haven't played yet
Ms. Blackquill lowered the ladder... after being told to by the detective leading the...? ............AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! (Y-You've gotta be kidding me!)
This song is true chaos, with only the slightest amount of harmony as all the instruments flip flop all over the place... this song is insane, just like the Phantom. So fitting!
So, let's look at all the main series' final case villains, and their positions. Turnabout Goodbyes: Prosecutor Rise From The Ashes: Police Chief Farewell, My Turnabout: Defendant Bridge To The Turnabout: Prosecutor Turnabout Succession: Mentor Turnabout For Tomorrow: Detective Because of this, it stands to reason that the final villain for Spirit Of Justice is probably going to be someone in a law profession, or whoever the last defendant is, though that twist probably would only work once.
I loved Fulbright so much, he became my favourite character in DD. I was always sad about Gumshoe just never returning but I thought he did a good job at replacing him... I don’t know how to describe it, but the first time I saw „Fulbright‘s“ emotionless face in court I felt so uneasy...? Like the funny character just disappeared, and he never even existed to begin with... I’m just super confused right now. Maybe I got a bit too invested in the game, but damn, that really made me feel like someone close to me betrayed me.
Bobby Fulbright was a real person, but he's long dead by the time the game starts. The phantom is good enough at impersonating people that I think we can safely say we know the real Fulbright, though.
@@gyppygirl2021 yeah i know! and you’re right, but honestly that makes it even scarier to me… like, that person is dead and someone just perfectly replaced him without anyone ever noticing
@@insertnamehere1398 impossible lotta hart was in investigations 2, which takes place before phoenix loses his badge. both of these events take place after the UR-1 incident and the space center bombings perpetrated by the phantom kristoph gavin is the phantom
This music makes you go "Who are we dealing with here" even when you don't know who the person is or even what they look like. Just his mere actions in the past being talked about is enough to bring great suspense and maybe even fear.
This song is the best villain theme in the series. It goes through multiple emotions, accurate to the Phantom’s character, and the guitar verse is perfect.
there is so much potential for a game about uncovering the organization he works for it would also be a perfect time to bring back de Killer, confirming that he is the guy who shot Phantom in the breakdown
I feel so depressed when I realize that the real Bobby has died a year ago and his body hans't been identified since then... There really was an enthusiastic and goofy police detective and I loved him so
God, what I love about the phantom most, they directly mess with the games main mechanics, since they have full control over their emotions and they dilate so fast, you have to find the one that doesn't change, and, even though you know they're the villian, they basically act exactly like Fulbright (mostly) until it is directly proven by Edgeworth that they can't be Fulbright(poor real Fulbright :( ) their theme is great, their role is great, the twist is great, motive, personality, I guess, everything about them makes them the best possible villian they can be for the AA game they're in.
Not gonna lie. For just a second. For just a brief second. I honestly thought it was gonna turn out to be the box girl. Because the animation where she slithers makes me associate her with a snake and I associate snakes with espionage because of MGS. And then I realized that wasn't even close to possible.
After that case, I was left speechless. Not mentioning the crimes he committed, he was a damn psychopath and a spy to top it off. To be honest I am kinda scared of the consequences of that trial. I mean it was not just a "mere" murder case like normal. We talk about a spy doing murder, sabotage and much more. This could very well even start a war - just in theory of course. Still, the simple thought of that is really frightening.
@@Zero-ve4hl Psychopaths tend to have less emotions if I remember correctly. Sociopaths can form emotional attachment to special people all while having no guilt or remorse for what they do to others. So it just depends on how much we think the Phantom has any feelings or social connections. If you assume he did form some true emotional bonds, he's probably a sociopath; otherwise he's a pure psychopath.
honestly i got chills when he emoted in wrong scenarios. like "*crying an ocean* HAHAHAHAHA! Oops, I mean, *laughing a lot* HAHAHAHAHAHA!" also when "aristotle means" destroyed a piece of evidence, that also creeped me out also, what an insane twist. i did NOT expect deid mann to be the phantom
the interesting thing is that the phantom's role is the reverse of shelly de killer/matt engarde. where in the latter case we catch the guy who hired the killer getting convicted but the actual killer getting away, here its the opposite: the actual killer is arrested, but the true masterminds get away with it, in fact, we don't even know WHO the phantom was working for or what they were even after. we don't even know much of the phantom's actions were part of his employers' plans and how much was a desperate ploy to protect his own identity. hopefully ace attorney 6 answers these questions (and has trucy and apollo find out they're siblings)
+aceotaku My theory is that the Phantom is a Russian spy (their best) or another enemy country's spy sent to destabilize America's space program, their law system causing the people to lose trust in the law of the land, stop any technological or scientific progress, etc.
Yeah, no. It really doesn't prove anything and he probably would've pulled something out of his ass like he did when he was talking about the blood on the rock.
Well, when Fullbright is in his "Angry" pose you can see a scar on his right-hand. Clever foreshadowing, no? But yeah, he would probably pull a "Manfred" and make up a bullshit story how he got it, like saying he tripped and his blood fell on the moonrock in a random courtroom.
My feeling on this guy throughout the game: BIG SPOILERS! Case 2: Who's this clown? Where's my Gumshoe? I will now hate this character simply because he is new and I hate changes. Case 3: Ugh. Oh wait, that was kinda amusing but I still don't like him. Case 4: Ok, I'm warming up to him since he's getting character developments. Case 5: ...... you son of a bitch. I trusted you.
In my opinion this game has the best story of the entire series purely because of the subtle nods towards the truth with Fulbright and the story starting at the end with ted tonates case is just brilliant I enjoyed every minute of it and when the truth is revealed after having this character developed as a close friend to the protagonists for that to be ripped away so quickly
My favorite part of this track is probably the bit from 1:33 to around 2:10 . When this part plays, I start to realize just _exactly_ how insane this case (and the Phantom in general) is.
*HEAVY, Heavy Spoilers below, beware* So... this phantom. He managed to create so much chaos, I think he is the best villain in any Ace Attorney game. Let me count what he did... - He killed Metis Cykes - He traumatized Athena for the rest of her life. - He sabotaged the Cosmos Space Center. - He almost killed Solomon Starbuck, also traumatizing him for the rest of his life with fear of Space. - Simon Blackquill, an innocent man, was sent to jail for 7 years because of the Phantom's action. Simon was also almost killed. - He basically crushed Aura Blackquill's life. - He basically created the Dark Age of the Law (along with Kristoph). - He killed Detective Fulbright, and took his identity. - He sabotaged the Cosmos Space Center again, with every workers fearing him. - He killed Clay Terran to get the moon rock. - He blew up a Courtroom, injuring Apollo. - He fabricated false evidence to put Athena in jail. Wow, that's like 12 things he did. Damn. Since he was a spy, I wonder if he worked for some kind of big mafia or organization that was against the HAT-1 project.
Wait but Simon Blackquill didn't die in the end! And hey... what organisation does he work for? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess he's a Russian spy. Too many Bond films can only lead me to that one conclusion in particular.
TakedaXS He caused a lot of trouble, but the scale of the Phantoms actions are out o control. He SABOTAGED a MOON MISSION. The amount of funding and preparation that goes into that is quite literally astronomical. The Phantom definitely comes out on top in terms of damage done by a AA villain. this isn't even taking into account that this man has been doing missions for almost his entire life.
(SPOILERS) Wait, if he was working for someone then it would be awesome to maybe pursue that story further in the next one. They could do a game where you have to take down the organisation and members of it one by one, (EVEN MORE SPOILERS FOR ME:I) Kind of like how Edgeworth had to take down each member of the smuggling ring one by one, before finally taking down the leader.
What I love about this song is how it feels like it can't really decide on what it is. It changes from being a dramatic orchestral piece to being hard rock to being a jazzy spy theme to being a cruel impersonation of Bobby Fullbright's theme. Because The Phantom never settles on just one identity. Why would his theme do so?
@@EpicLuigi24 Agreed but it also confused me how she changed her skin tone as Shih Na. It's completely different from Callisto Yew. Unless her Shih Na appearance was a mask too?
@@ananini_ringleadernico Yew was arrested 8 years before this case. I remember there were other reasons "Calisto Yew" couldn't be the Phantom, but that's the one I remember.
Recently finished playing Dual Destinies with my sister (it was her first time but not mine) and I swear to god, it was so fucking hard to not say anything when Bobby Fulbright showed up, it was hell
I absolutely love the final trial of this game. Not only is it imo the second best twist villain in the series behind the investigations 2 villain that you'll know if you've played it, but I also love how bobby's personality slowly fades over the course of the trial and is replaced by the cold manipulation and maniacal laughter of the phantom.
(SPOILERS) I don't know if I'm the only one, but when Fulbright was making his serious face I was so creeped out that I wasn't looking to his emotionless face
It really puts into perspective how in that moment, you realize that the cheerful, clumsy, corny yet well meaning detective was nothing but a blatant lie that never existed
Spoilers below. In stories, gloves on a character can indicate that they're hiding a secret. Usually a big one. Just look at Athena. Now, look at Fulbright.
The breakdown of the Phantom was epic, but in my opinion there was nothing like that first time Dahlia exposed her evil eyes and the butterflies around her turned to ash.
Kawtherina That's not happening, unfortunately. The next game is going to be the start of a new series called the Great Ace Attorney, and it takes place in 20th century Japan.
Some people put forth the theory that the phantom is actually Solomon. Personally I have a few points to counter this 1. They say Solomon is the phantom because he has access to everything in the cosmic center, making it easy to commit all the atrocities. Well, in the game we established that the first person to arrive onto the crime scene of metis Cykes is the killer. Solomon isn't that person. Furthermore, the phantom's original mission is to stop the launch, yet Solomon who they claimed to be the phantom not only made it a successful launch, but made it a miracle that everyone remembers, basically failing his mission in spectacular fashion. Finally, if Solomon was the phantom, the hat 3 launch would've been disrupted with yet another murder. Solomon basically failed twice at the mission of stopping the hat from going to space, and the very first time he intentionally did so, and on the very last time he also intentionally did so. This will cause his boss to kill him
3 years late, but there is also a Post Credit scene where Solomon goes to space, effectively debunking that fact because Solomon can't still be an astronaut and in jail as the Phantom
Spoilers y'know, when this part of the game happened, it hit me like a truck. I was absolutely devastated with how much they tricked me with this twist. But looking at it now, there was a way it could be much worse. what if, instead of creating fulbright, they just used gumshoe for this instead.
Oh my god if they used Gumshoe as the final villain I think I would genuinely feel betrayed!! We went through so much adventures with him. Happy it wasn't him
The reason why we wouldn't believe he was the phantom is mainly that his facade was too real, like this guy would be all the time with his justice thing, we even catch him in 5-4 talking to himself saying something like: "which path is the path of true justice?" So we wouldn't believe he was faking it. But then he starts wearing the mask of other characters and stays COMPLETELY IN CHARACTER WITH NO FLAW WHATSOEVER.
You gotta admit he’s probably the best spy in the world. The best liars are people that are so convincing that they even believe their own lies. That’s what the phantom is like. He didn’t just act as other people he made himself believe he was them.
I played the DLC case after finishing the actual game. Most of the time I was just thinking about the Phantom and feeling betrayed. It was, "oh so of the people we've met its probably one of them" and I looked at Fullbright and was just, "nah, that can't possibly be right, there's no way" lol. I was so surprised.
Best plot twist ive seen in the series, even more than matt engarde's reveal, finding out godot was the murderer, or finding out that trucy and apollo are siblings. I didn't suspect fulbright for a SECOND
Considering how every final case in the series was someone no one expected, wouldn't it actually be more effective if in Spirit of Justice the villain was EXACTLY who you expected? I mean, who would honestly see it coming?
He's probably the only twist villain that's had me fooled the same length as he's had the characters fooled. I genuinely thought it was Aura for most of the case, or alternatively, that Solomon DID actually do it. After the focus shifted to "who's the phantom" instead of "who killed clay" (same difference, but you know what I mean) I briefly even entertained the thought of CLAY being the phantom and Aura killed him in revenge. Hell, The Phantom had me fooled longer: I totally bought the "secret agent tracking the phantom" bit for at least a minute or two even when the internal thought text was like "ok no this guy's bullshitting" because I'm so used to ace attorney villains becoming entirely obvious. DD was probably my least favourite ace attorney game, but I still fucking loved it, case 5 was great.
The moment Fullbright stops being silly and makes a straight face, it is truly terrifying realizing that this happy detective is nothing but a faceless killer with not a shred of remorse or emotions at all
It's funny that probably everyone was expecting Fulbright to be the next clumsy Gumshoe, but instead we realized he's a mastermind who would put even Kristoph Gavin to shame. It's not possible to choose anyone better than Fulbright to be the Phantom. It's really chilling to think someone so boisterous and flooded with emotions all the time actually felt nothing in the inside.
HEAVY SPOILERS I don't know for something so badass like the phantom I thought the breakdown was quite underwhelming, but he is really one of the most disturbing villains in the series (going up there with Gant, Dahlia and Callisto) they made quite a nice job with him, and the "stupid" detective disguise was just icing on the cake, I wonder if he will escape and be this de killer like character that pops in from time to time just to fuck things up.
Breakdown was amazing. It's basically a tragic "I forgot my true face. Who am I? Where is my face?!" It's the kind of thing that could be funny if it wasn't so freaky and tragic. How he defaults back to Fulbright mask when he's afraid to die. How when he's shot, the Fulbright face slowly falls to the ground. And he's finally unmasked as he falls but we don't see his true face, because even he forgot his true self and face. It's brilliant.
I had my doubts if Fulbright really was the Phantom, until Athena pointed out that she had yet to hear a single emotion behind Fulbright's words. That hit home when I realized he really is the Phantom, the empty mood matrix was a real bonus as well.
I have to say, out of everyone we've met, The Phantom is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever met a character who not only has no emotions, but EVERYTHING that makes us human.
SPOILERS The main thing that bothered (or unnerved I guess) about this game was that the victims were all really nice people with almost no negative factors (if any). Most, if not all of the previous victims had some quality that made you feel that things worked out for the better with them dead. (Jeez, that really didn't sound that bad in my head...), but then there's the fact that the victims in this game were so nice, and so the endings keep feeling so bittersweet knowing that such nice and important people were gone. I mean, Courte, the reason Klavier is such an awesome dude, and then there's Clay who was Apollo's best friend and if the Phantom's portrayal of Fullbright was spot on, then that means that there was actually a detective out there who was so nice, happy (if a bit dull), and strongly committed to justice. tl;dr: Gave me feels brah
@@ananini_ringleadernico 3 Gramarye jackass tbh. Magnifi, Zak and Valant. Only Thalassa and Trucy got away with being decent people lol they escaped the douchebag curse
Everybody else: makes some dramatic change in their appearance to show their true personality
Bobby fulbright: *makes a straight face*
His serious face freaked me the hell out when I first played DD. Super creepy after his exaggerated (fake) emotions up until that point :/
At least he wasn't staring at you like Damon Gant.
Well, that's his personality.
You can't disagree with that
@@Y0urD0ctor peg me pardon did you said personality ?
Are you sure we are speaking about the same dude ?
THAT WAS A DRAMATIC CHANGE
When you find out that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and your parents all have the same exact handwriting.
Holy shit santa was the phantom
@@entrypointman9628 when santa removed his beard and it was shown he was actually a easter bunny who takes tooth.Truly a moment of all time
@@shitpostmania6061 i camed
Why does this fit so well 😭
What about the Queen of England?
IN JUSTICE I TRUSTED.
"In justice we trust" --> "injustice we trust".
I like to think of this as still trusting justice. See, if we assume the real Bobby Fulbright was like that, then even though we never met him, we helped him carry out the justice on his impersonator. You may kill one of its warriors, but justice will always have champions willing to defend it
The impostor paid for what he did...but im hearbroken still......Poor Fulbright...
Me playing case 2: Huh, that can come off as 'Injustice'...meh, it's probably just a little gag.
Me playing the final case: ...WELL HOLY SHIT, NEVER MIND!
Ugh, knowing Bobby Fulbright was real and murdered is so sad... How could the Phantom take the life of a man so utterly devoted to justice!? IN JUSTICE WE TRUST
a cool thing I noticed happen was when Jinxie first met Fulbright. she threw her little demon things at him calling him a "ghost." at first you assume she says that out of surprise but you realize that she says it because, well, as we all know, Fulbright is the phantom, or the phantom is Fulbright.
Wow, that really makes sense! And I suppose maybe she's calling him a ghost because she knows that the real Fulbright is already dead.
Jeriel C
If that's really the case then that's the most subtle foreshadowing I've seen, ever
Holy fuck, you're right.
(Oh yeah, and remember when Fulbright didn't even realize that Filch stole his shoes?)
Fulbright also replied saying he's no phantom
Wendy Oldbag played us all , I never saw that coming
That is a hilarious misdirection
That would be awesome
Basically case 2-4
And she's alive even after a sniper's bullet, is she really immortal ?
SPOILERS!!!!!!!,!
AA characters usually when they get caught: Begin to panic, get angry or start getting Cocky
Fulbright: Makes a neutral expression
The real him...
"🗿"
- Detective Fulbright
And it was as creepy as fuck.
The peak lock in of all fiction
I feel like the coolest thing in the game was the intro to case one
when you see ted holding the bomb
and text appears talking about how bombs erase and destroy
then mentions blaming a little girl
and you think its ted talking about blowing up the cortroom and blaming junie
but after you beat the game you realize it was the phantom talking about blowing up the moon rock and blaming Athena
HEADCANON ACCEPTED
*damage animation* NO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
HOLY SHIT
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Holy Shit!
Not gonna lie man this might be the absolute peak in terms of ace attorney soundtracks
You know what I always find the creepiest thing about this guy? That part when, when he thinks he's won, his face suddenly becomes devoid of all emotion. It's then that you realize the guy in front of you really IS the Phantom.
Those who finished the game will know what moment I'm talking about.
Yes, he always forces he smile when you see him. But then at that point in the game he suddenly drops the smile, that was kind of creepy.
It was creepy I shivered a bit
After that point he will occasionally make a that face for a split second before going through his typically exaggerated expressions. It really shows that he’s been forcing these emotions this whole time.
Omg when he dropped the act like that and his face went completely straight and blank... I had chills!!
"Now I hope you see how foolish it was to think I was the phantom."
Phantom's breakdown was creepy enough as it was, on the same level as Kristoph's katatonia and Dahlia's exorcism. But you know what makes it even creepier?
The fact that this person had all those masks ready to go. Solomon, Hugh, Aura, even Phoenix. If their "Bobby" persona was compromised, they were going to _kill and impersonate_ one of these people.
That’s scary
Even Jinxie Tenma was one of his masks. Poor girl’s already suffered enough, it’s even more disturbing that even she’s on the Phantom’s hit list
The fact that the next mask he had ready was Sol's makes me think he was originally the intended target of the Space Museum murder, but then Clay ended up being the victim instead
Imagine if in SoJ Phoenix was revealed to be the phantom
In the breakdown we saw a glimpse of a blackquill mask, let that sink in.
Something I've noticed few talked about: the phantom was the only villain to outright mock Mia Fey. "The hardest of times is when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles". While wearing Phoenix's mask and voice, no less. You could tell Phoenix was really pissed off at that moment.
Redd White does, too "YOu're nothing but a MERE lawyer.... Just like Mia Fey!
That's the type of thing that would put Dahlia Hawthorne, the villain whose entire motive was outdo Mia in everyway possible, to shame.
When the Phoenix mask started to sag around his face from his fear... Jeezus, that really creeped me out. 0_0
Right when I saw it, I pressed the home button and said "What the fuck did I just see..."
There was a fan theory going around for a while that Matt Engarde was the Phantom's true identity. While likely untrue it IS interesting how he and the Phantom have the exact same expression when they realized how fucked they are for the exact same reason.
@@blackknightjack3850 Nah, Matt's too much of a coward to get his own hands dirty.
@@DefinitiveDubs Like I said, there are numerous road blocks in place for the Phantom actually being Matt. I just thought it was really interesting how there were certain parallels between Turnabout for Tomorrow and Farewell, My Turnabout.
@@blackknightjack3850 the fact that there was a headcanon saying shelly de killer was the phantom's shooter would make even more sense with the theory of Matt being the true phantom's identity
Phantom: "I could have gotten away with that moon rock if it wasn't for those meddling attorneys and that former jailbird prosecutor."
thekillersnake94 No, that's Alba.
@@Kai4life4 no thats smosh reference
@@GrindyVine how
jailbird procsecutor LMAO
scooby doo by doo
SPOILERS
"So I lowered the emergency ladder like the detective leading the evacuation told me to"
My heart almost stopped after reading this in court, I never thought HE would be the phantom, I didn't even think about it!
Well I had my doubts on him after learning the phantom has no fear, I thought : "Hey, fullbright is the only one that isnt' affraid or affected by blackquills so maybe ... nah ! he's too dumb to be sure a genius"
yet I was as surprised as you, I thought he was a protector of justice and he was a bastard all this time, I felt so betrayed
I'm pretty sure every player had a unified moment of "WOOAAH!"
Yeah me too. One of the biggest "HOLY SHIT!" moments in a video game.
yeah, everyone promptly shat themselves when it got to that point.
(SPOILERS I THINK)
I thought the spy was Candice Arme after I read those lines, but then I quickly realised that was not the case. I felt.... Betrayed :(
"So I lowered my emergency ladder like the detective leading the investigation told me to."
I still remember the chills I got when the game highlighted "Detective leading the evacuation." One of the best plot twists I've ever experienced in a video game.
I refused to believe that for a solid 4-5 hours before coming back to play
it doesn't highlight that
@@entrypointman9628 well if shoving a it a hundred times in your face isnt highlighting i don't know what is
@@user-mo2zf1kf3m not visually
I thought that was a straight up lie by Aura
BIG SPOILERS HERE;
I love this guy as a villain on so many levels, but for one main reason;
With him, they took an element mostly used for comedy, and gave it a dark turn to the point where you're more disturbed by it then anything.
I'm talking about wearing multiple masks on top of each other, and tearing them of, not revealing your actual face. This is the first time I've ever seen this concept used outside of comedy, and they build it up so well, to the point where you actually begin to understand exactly what's going through this guy's head.
Like he said himself, he's an endless abyss. He's literally no one. He takes the faces of others, and uses them as a fake identity, to the point where his very downfall is that he can't remember who he is any-more. It's then that he begins madly ripping his masks off, screaming about trying to find his true face.
For them to take something that has such strong comedic ties to it, and transform it into a rather sad and depressing breakdown, shows just how well this villain works.
Those saying it's a lackluster villian don't seem to be looking at what this villain is really about. He's so much more then just "a random guy we never got the name off who's an ass-hole". There's so much to him, and the fact that he doesn't have a face or identity makes his actions all the more creepy.
With the other villains, we knew who they were. We saw their faces, what they look like. With The Phantom, he's a shell, and the fact that we don't know what he looks like, who he is or anything about him, is what makes him self a creepy and disturbing villain.
You can't see him. You can't look at him. You can't even refer to him by a name. He's not a "human" any-more, just like Phoenix thought to himself.
Yet it's this that gives his breakdown such an ironic punch. He's brought down by emotions, despite being known for having no emotions. And he's brought down because he IS a human, and still feels like his own person, deep down, but he can't find his true face.
There's so much psychological elements to his guy, which is fitting given Athena and the Mood Matrix, as well as so much that just makes him creepy as a villain.
He's probably the most evil too; He was going to massacre a courtroom full of innocent people just to destroy some evidence. It was just because Ted warned everyone that no one died. No villain in the series prior would have gone that far.
This guy is, both metaphorically speaking and LITERALLY speaking, an emotionless and cold-hearted *terrorist* that doesn't care about killing innocent people.
Green Tea
Yes but for comedy purposes. Well, not nessesarcy straight out comedy, but Layton didn't do it in that much of a serious fashion. It was more "THAT GUYS IN A MASK", they pull the mask off and run away.
My wording wasn't clear, but my point wasn't "THIS ONLY EVER EXISTED IN COMEDY SHOWS BEFORE NOW". I meant it as in, that this is the first time I've seen the masked villain plot done in a depressing, serious sense. And it's also the first time I've seen, where they leave the actual face of the villain a mystery.
Any old series can pull the "that guy's in a mask" trick. But that's not what makes the phantom so damned interesting. What makes him a great villain, is ''*HOW*'' they represent this.
You could even say that this game shows you the deeper, "real-life" effects of constantly acting as someone else. What would happen to you if you were someone who constantly wore other people's faces and literally never got to see your own face, never got to act like yourself, never even got to THINK your own thoughts. You had to be another person even to yourself. It would drive you insane, and in the end it does that to the Phantom, to the point where he goes insane, trying to find his true identity again. It makes you feel DEPRESSED for this guy, because you realize how empty his soul must actually be.
The scary part is, the Ace Attorney wiki lists the proper picture of the Phantom as being the one in Metis' uniform with the Japanese mask on. Understandably because it's an identity-less image of the Phantom so they don't resort to using an image of someone he impersonated but what's scary about using that image of him, is the fact it's so identity-less, soulless looking and unnerving just captures 'endless abyss' perfectly. Worst part is, before seeing Turnabout for Tomorrow, I saw that image of him and mistook it for his real identity making him appear in my mind to be a deformed, emotionless looking , non-human seeming being. It looked almost alien, which fits with the topic of the Cosmic turnabout and Turnabout for Tomorrow involving the space race and travelling to the stars.
Phantom is probably the closest so far we have to a sociopath (that is, if he already hasn't crossed the line)
Wow. You worded that perfectly.
HEAVY SPOILERS!
I AM totally agreeing with you. You worded it perfectly, as the Phantom has to be one of the best villains I've had the pleasure of beating. I was tied to Fulbright like a lifeline, as when he is revealed to be the Phantom, that sorta surprised me. As the man who could cry a river could actually kill me in five seconds flat eithout batting an eye. It's actually pretty startling once you see Fulbright, or 'Foolbright', go from that, to the Phantom.
what was really intimidating about the phantom was the fact that he could be anyone
Even me
even my dic-
I headcanon that he is Matt Engarde
It may be Fulbright himself, who fabricated his death reports, vanished, then returned in his original form, the phantom. But we need proof and logic to prove this...
He could be you. He could be me. He could even be-
I spilled my whole tea pot when Edgelor- Edgeworth said the real Fulbright was dead.
Miles Edgelord
Lol
Suddenly those mirror matches in Ultimate Marvel vs CAPCOM 3 take a dark turn ...
Oh no........ I never thought of that
oh shit
KZN02 _FUCK_
How many genres does this song spasm through? It's...actually surprisingly accurate of the character...
well that's true
I can't even know the instruments in this is
character? but doesn't he not have one
@@mohamadsarwar7997 that's the point. he imitated others for so long that he forgot his own face.
@@mioko5679 the same for character, he can't be one because he forgot the script
I don't know if anyone has noticed this yet, but the Phantom has so far the most character murders on his name. He killed Metis Cykes, Bobby Fullbright and Clay Terran. That's 3 main characters, that puts even Kristoph to shame. But above all else, he even almost succeeded in killing an entire courtroom, was 1 day close to Blackquill getting executed and almost got rid of Athena.
Dahlia might have him beat if you count people who died because of her, but as far as intended/potential victims go, the phantom definitely beats everyone with the courtroom bombing (who'd have guessed at the start of the game that we'd ever say, "Thank goodness for Ted Tonate").
Feriku You can't be sure about that. At the end of the final case Blackquill lists numerous crimes of what he committed. Pretty sure along those is murder of more people before the HAT-1 incident. Dahlia, well, she has 3 indirect murders, almost 4 if you count Godot getting screwed over by her. But im sure that Phantom has more murders on his name, atleast directly
Nielsisback That's true, I wasn't thinking about all the stuff he did as a spy.
Though now I wonder how he compares to Shelly de Killer. ;)
Feriku De Killer kills on order, he probably also has a massive deathstreak. But the Phantom is allowed to dispose of anyone in his path to accomplishe his goal. Also, De Killer works on Trust, while Phantom doesn't have that at all
Nielsisback Right, as well as having an honor code.
And I was thinking, you can add Sol Starbuck to the list of main characters the phantom almost killed, because of HAT-1.
I really loved the subtle foreshadowing, like how "fulbright" wasn't able to comprehend how to make it look like he was scared because he didn't know what true emotion was
I get a huge chill down my spine every time Athena pulls out the Mood Matrix on the phantom and it's just... nothing. Empty. Cold.
Creepy as hell. Also that one scene where he thinks he won and is gonna get away, and his face just turns straight blank, emotionless. It gave me the chills!
I'm not the only one who shouted "WHAT THE FUCK?!" at the reveal, am I?
ned1291 at first i thought junie was the bad guy. motive: free athena from her past by literally destroying it
I just beat the game last night..I assure you I said WTF during this trial like 50 times... I kid you not
Yep, can confirm. Just beat it a half hour ago.
Me too honestly
really? I thinked was kinda more obvious than usual, like the most of phantom scheme for all the hype he goes down rather easily
I can't believe Klavier played us as fools with the oldest trick in the book, I never saw that coming in the final trial
the twist that revealed Pearl was the person that sniped the Phantom was much more shocking imo
What
@@objection6061 you mean you forgot about the game's final, shocking twists?
@@snek7030 oh now I remember sorry I forgot
@@snek7030 but the part that clay wasnt dead and instead Starbuck was dead was even better
THIS COMMENT IS A SPOILER FOR THE FINAL CASE
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One of the few things that I find comfort in is knowing that the phantom is able to perfectly copy the person's personality, so I would've loved Bobby Fulbright had we actually met him...
Yeah...
I think the gut punch to go alongside that is that whatever physical state his body was in, it took **a year** for him to eventually be identified due to this case. We never knew if he had any friends or family, but the thought of being unidentified like that while someone wears your appearance is just horrifying
I think what made this such a fantastic twist isn't the foreshadowing we saw allthroughout the game. It's the real whiplast that it gives you. It really takes everything you know up to that point and dashes it. You can't even look at it the same way the second time around.
Dude. The designated comic relief is this game's big bad!
I literally screamed when the twist happened. "NOOOOO!"
And it makes the DLC case super unnerving
I really wished that it was the real Fulbright from Monstrous to Academy and the Phantom just happened to kill Fulbright right before Cosmic.
I really loved Fulbright's character :(
Honestly, yeah. When I saw the matching evidence I was basically like "No fucking way!"
@@silverflight01 i wish the real Bobby didn't have to die. Maybe the phantom could have kept him secluded in some place and would have taken his identity for the whole game. And at the end maybe Phoenix, Apollo and Athena coulf have saved him? I really would have liked smth like that
@@assiaelmabrouki5552 Well the Phantom is an assassin. Why let him be alive when it'd be better to just silence him forever would be where Phantom's train of thoughts go.
His breakdown was probably the best thing I've ever seen.
breakdowns went from crying, screaming, laughing and dying to this
They really took advantge of the 3d shift to make something they couldn't have pulled off before. His slow, detailed breakdown would have been a nightmare to animate with sprites, and I think that's amazing
@@mega20able yep, as a 2d animator I can say that scene would be an utter headache to make. Possible for sure, but it would take a lot of time and a sizable team of people to produce good results
after beating the game I played the special episode and when I saw Fulbright again I just couldn't look him. I was like:"yeah, I'm cooperating with the fucking main villain of this game"
Me too lol Turnabout Reclaimed hits harder knowing how Turnabout for Tomorrow ends. Better to play it chronologically if possible and play it before Turnabout Academy instead
@@l.n.3372 Yeah I don't think it really changes much
@@CS_Oddities
Then why do you bother replying to a thread of people who do? Just don't reply to that type of conversation at all if you have nothing to contribute to it.
@@l.n.3372 I do not know really
Same
Fun fact, According to PONCO the Phantom has also felt surprise at the moment Athena stabbed him in the hand, so we might be able to add one more emotion that the Phantom has felt other than fear.
this reveal made me scared to roam my own house. i mean, fulbright was set up to be that over-the-top good samaritan that people trust. but in actuality he's a kniving sociopath. which fits because sociopaths understand and can show emotion better than normal people because their brains have more resources to analyze social cues and such due to the lack of "feeling" going on.
opsonicfan358 I must add... Fulbright was actually dead throughout the game. The Fulbright we saw in the game was a fake... So Fulbright isn't a sociopath. Only the fake one ~ The Phantom.
I really wish the real Bobby Fulbright wasn't dead, especially considering he was an overwhelmingly positive guy whose body was brutally mutilated to the point that it was unidentifiable. People like him don't deserve that, so I kind of wish the Phantom died when he was shot at the witness stand.
+TheCactuar124 Actually, I wouldn't be surprised, if it was the Phantom who killed Bobby Fulbright in order to steal his idenity.
I think that was pretty obvious @@andreysaldin7899
This theme fits the phantom perfectly.
Random and switching tempo/style quickly, yet still feeling like the same theme. Keeps you on your toes, like how he did.
And the emotionless phantom was defeated not through the truth but because he was a "human"...
"Aww, look what you did to my mask."
*Rips off face*
*Solomon Starbuck's face appear*
2:36
"you got me, this is just another mask..."
*Rips off mask*
*Show's Aristotle Means's mask*
3:45
*"SURPRISE BITCHES, I TOLD YOU THAT THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS!"*
SPOILERS
I think that the best part about the Phantom is that we never find out what he really looks like. You think of a certain face when you see him, but you never know what he truly looks like.
When I think about the main villain of the game, it's much scarier to think of someone without a true identity. He might not be the *best* villain in the series, but he's certainly the most frightening.
And of course, his track slaps hard.
Having finished the original trilogy, Apollo Justice, and Dual Destinies, I actually think the phantom might be the best villain except for Dahlia. He's an extremely creative and cleverly executed character.
It wouldn't mean anything to know what he looks like, he's a stranger, a shapeshifter. so by keeping his face hidden, but the mask he had worn last having a bullet through the forehead, it really hits home.
Which track, you say?
A reference to Poirot's last case. The one remaining criminal in the cabal was a famed doppelganger, who commits suicide by having his head crushed. In doing so, he throws one final middle finger to the detective, by ensuring that the final question he might have had is FOREVER unanswered.
This case traumatized me
Especially with Bloodstained Athena.
My eyes need some break after those mask reveals
I was honestly fooled by his Starbuck mask at first.
Same lmao
I mean, his masks are of utmost accuracy..
He had me fooled for a complete second.
I love this unsettling theme, the Phantom really feels like some sort of cryptid, especially in the final part when it's revealed what his true self is like (a bit of a strange description considering what I'm referring to but it's phrased that way to avoid potential spoilers). Definitely the most creepy villain in the series, not counting some spinoffs I haven't played yet
The LEAST ever expected outcome. I expected anyone to turn out to be the phantom...BUT HIM?! He was there the whole time, technically not even hiding!
He mastered the art of "Yo-Nin" (Hiding in plain sight).
God I love this theme. So dark and scary but also has that trumpet from Fulbright's theme. Genius.
Ms. Blackquill lowered the ladder... after being told to by the detective leading the...? ............AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! (Y-You've gotta be kidding me!)
This song is true chaos, with only the slightest amount of harmony as all the instruments flip flop all over the place... this song is insane, just like the Phantom. So fitting!
So, let's look at all the main series' final case villains, and their positions.
Turnabout Goodbyes: Prosecutor
Rise From The Ashes: Police Chief
Farewell, My Turnabout: Defendant
Bridge To The Turnabout: Prosecutor
Turnabout Succession: Mentor
Turnabout For Tomorrow: Detective
Because of this, it stands to reason that the final villain for Spirit Of Justice is probably going to be someone in a law profession, or whoever the last defendant is, though that twist probably would only work once.
A Judge Killer.
Pls be the judge pls be the judge pls pls pls!!!
Defense attorney.
Kristoph IS a defense attorney.
inb4 trucy is the killer
I loved Fulbright so much, he became my favourite character in DD. I was always sad about Gumshoe just never returning but I thought he did a good job at replacing him... I don’t know how to describe it, but the first time I saw „Fulbright‘s“ emotionless face in court I felt so uneasy...? Like the funny character just disappeared, and he never even existed to begin with... I’m just super confused right now. Maybe I got a bit too invested in the game, but damn, that really made me feel like someone close to me betrayed me.
He existed alright
We just never saw him
Bobby Fulbright was a real person, but he's long dead by the time the game starts. The phantom is good enough at impersonating people that I think we can safely say we know the real Fulbright, though.
@@gyppygirl2021 yeah i know! and you’re right, but honestly that makes it even scarier to me… like, that person is dead and someone just perfectly replaced him without anyone ever noticing
I saw a headcanon somewhere on the internet that the Phantom's real name is Carl Mellion and I think it is a cool idea.
'Cuz you know. Chamellion.
And now that is a good pun
Investigations 2 has an unseen character named Rip Lacer...
but we all know in our hearts that the phantom is lotta hart-
@@insertnamehere1398
impossible
lotta hart was in investigations 2, which takes place before phoenix loses his badge. both of these events take place after the UR-1 incident and the space center bombings perpetrated by the phantom
kristoph gavin is the phantom
@@catalyst539 UR-1 actually takes place a year after Phoenix loses his badge, since it's 7 years prior to DD which is 1 year after AJ.
This music makes you go "Who are we dealing with here" even when you don't know who the person is or even what they look like. Just his mere actions in the past being talked about is enough to bring great suspense and maybe even fear.
the fact it plays when he's not even onscreen shows just how much of a prescence he has over the case
This song is the best villain theme in the series. It goes through multiple emotions, accurate to the Phantom’s character, and the guitar verse is perfect.
there is so much potential for a game about uncovering the organization he works for
it would also be a perfect time to bring back de Killer, confirming that he is the guy who shot Phantom in the breakdown
I feel so depressed when I realize that the real Bobby has died a year ago and his body hans't been identified since then... There really was an enthusiastic and goofy police detective and I loved him so
God, what I love about the phantom most, they directly mess with the games main mechanics, since they have full control over their emotions and they dilate so fast, you have to find the one that doesn't change, and, even though you know they're the villian, they basically act exactly like Fulbright (mostly) until it is directly proven by Edgeworth that they can't be Fulbright(poor real Fulbright :( ) their theme is great, their role is great, the twist is great, motive, personality, I guess, everything about them makes them the best possible villian they can be for the AA game they're in.
Not gonna lie. For just a second. For just a brief second. I honestly thought it was gonna turn out to be the box girl. Because the animation where she slithers makes me associate her with a snake and I associate snakes with espionage because of MGS. And then I realized that wasn't even close to possible.
The phantom was big boss all along!
I don't think I have ever said " what the fuck" so many time in my life! This trial was insane! I literally had no idea! This shit was insane! XD
Tabby L i agree this trial was probably one of the best top 5 i would say the pure adrenaline of you cathing this guy was fucking real!
After that case, I was left speechless. Not mentioning the crimes he committed, he was a damn psychopath and a spy to top it off. To be honest I am kinda scared of the consequences of that trial. I mean it was not just a "mere" murder case like normal. We talk about a spy doing murder, sabotage and much more. This could very well even start a war - just in theory of course. Still, the simple thought of that is really frightening.
Sociopath actually, if I remember correctly
@@Zero-ve4hl
Psychopaths tend to have less emotions if I remember correctly. Sociopaths can form emotional attachment to special people all while having no guilt or remorse for what they do to others. So it just depends on how much we think the Phantom has any feelings or social connections. If you assume he did form some true emotional bonds, he's probably a sociopath; otherwise he's a pure psychopath.
honestly i got chills when he emoted in wrong scenarios. like "*crying an ocean* HAHAHAHAHA! Oops, I mean, *laughing a lot* HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
also when "aristotle means" destroyed a piece of evidence, that also creeped me out
also, what an insane twist. i did NOT expect deid mann to be the phantom
The phantom was obviously Frank Sahwit
the interesting thing is that the phantom's role is the reverse of shelly de killer/matt engarde. where in the latter case we catch the guy who hired the killer getting convicted but the actual killer getting away, here its the opposite: the actual killer is arrested, but the true masterminds get away with it, in fact, we don't even know WHO the phantom was working for or what they were even after. we don't even know much of the phantom's actions were part of his employers' plans and how much was a desperate ploy to protect his own identity.
hopefully ace attorney 6 answers these questions (and has trucy and apollo find out they're siblings)
+aceotaku In AA:AJ, I think they did.
Flowey Flower no they didn't and there is nothing to indicate they have been told offscreen
+aceotaku My theory is that the Phantom is a Russian spy (their best) or another enemy country's spy sent to destabilize America's space program, their law system causing the people to lose trust in the law of the land, stop any technological or scientific progress, etc.
I feel like they missed a great opportunity to remove the phantoms glove. Seeing a scar on his right hand would have made it even more tense
Yeah, no. It really doesn't prove anything and he probably would've pulled something out of his ass like he did when he was talking about the blood on the rock.
Well, when Fullbright is in his "Angry" pose you can see a scar on his right-hand. Clever foreshadowing, no? But yeah, he would probably pull a "Manfred" and make up a bullshit story how he got it, like saying he tripped and his blood fell on the moonrock in a random courtroom.
That's what I was thinking as well!!
If that scar showed the devil it would be ground breaking to the Ace Attorney Community
Yeah no
Ah, that moment when he realized that he had emotions, and he really did not know who he originally was.
"So I lowered my emergency ladder like the detective leading the evacuation told me to."
How I’d summarize this guy “I fear no man, but that THING… it scares me.” -TF2 Heavy, 2009
My feeling on this guy throughout the game: BIG SPOILERS!
Case 2: Who's this clown? Where's my Gumshoe? I will now hate this character simply because he is new and I hate changes.
Case 3: Ugh. Oh wait, that was kinda amusing but I still don't like him.
Case 4: Ok, I'm warming up to him since he's getting character developments.
Case 5: ...... you son of a bitch. I trusted you.
my exact feelings
well at least gumshoes isnt the phantom
is he...? where is gumshoe...?
I liked him from the beginning. Nobody beats gumshoe tho
I liked him from the beginning.
Also, is it just me, or is Gumshoe extremely overrated?
@@crypt5129 it's just you
In my opinion this game has the best story of the entire series purely because of the subtle nods towards the truth with Fulbright and the story starting at the end with ted tonates case is just brilliant I enjoyed every minute of it and when the truth is revealed after having this character developed as a close friend to the protagonists for that to be ripped away so quickly
My favorite part of this track is probably the bit from 1:33 to around 2:10 . When this part plays, I start to realize just _exactly_ how insane this case (and the Phantom in general) is.
Blackquill trusted you,i thought i could too.
So why the bloody hell does Athena know you!?
*HEAVY, Heavy Spoilers below, beware*
So... this phantom. He managed to create so much chaos, I think he is the best villain in any Ace Attorney game. Let me count what he did...
- He killed Metis Cykes
- He traumatized Athena for the rest of her life.
- He sabotaged the Cosmos Space Center.
- He almost killed Solomon Starbuck, also traumatizing him for the rest of his life with fear of Space.
- Simon Blackquill, an innocent man, was sent to jail for 7 years because of the Phantom's action. Simon was also almost killed.
- He basically crushed Aura Blackquill's life.
- He basically created the Dark Age of the Law (along with Kristoph).
- He killed Detective Fulbright, and took his identity.
- He sabotaged the Cosmos Space Center again, with every workers fearing him.
- He killed Clay Terran to get the moon rock.
- He blew up a Courtroom, injuring Apollo.
- He fabricated false evidence to put Athena in jail.
Wow, that's like 12 things he did. Damn. Since he was a spy, I wonder if he worked for some kind of big mafia or organization that was against the HAT-1 project.
We don't know for sure if he killed Bobby or not. For all we know he might have just used the situation.
Wait but Simon Blackquill didn't die in the end!
And hey... what organisation does he work for? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess he's a Russian spy. Too many Bond films can only lead me to that one conclusion in particular.
Most influential villain in AA?
Try Blaise Debeste (investigations 2)
TakedaXS He caused a lot of trouble, but the scale of the Phantoms actions are out o control. He SABOTAGED a MOON MISSION. The amount of funding and preparation that goes into that is quite literally astronomical. The Phantom definitely comes out on top in terms of damage done by a AA villain. this isn't even taking into account that this man has been doing missions for almost his entire life.
(SPOILERS)
Wait, if he was working for someone then it would be awesome to maybe pursue that story further in the next one. They could do a game where you have to take down the organisation and members of it one by one, (EVEN MORE SPOILERS FOR ME:I)
Kind of like how Edgeworth had to take down each member of the smuggling ring one by one, before finally taking down the leader.
What I love about this song is how it feels like it can't really decide on what it is. It changes from being a dramatic orchestral piece to being hard rock to being a jazzy spy theme to being a cruel impersonation of Bobby Fullbright's theme. Because The Phantom never settles on just one identity. Why would his theme do so?
"i am nothing, i don't remember what my personality was like, *i am nothing but an endless abyss* "
“Aww... now look what you did to my mask.”
This guy should meet Calisto Yew/Shih-na. They could compare notes on disguises.
Sligneris She doesn't have masks for 10+ people, so yeah, she would be just learning from the phantom, not comparing notes.
What if Calisto IS the phantom? O-O
@@EpicLuigi24
Agreed but it also confused me how she changed her skin tone as Shih Na. It's completely different from Callisto Yew. Unless her Shih Na appearance was a mask too?
@@ananini_ringleadernico Yew was arrested 8 years before this case. I remember there were other reasons "Calisto Yew" couldn't be the Phantom, but that's the one I remember.
I figured she and the Phantom would try to lead an identity crisis support group in prison.
Recently finished playing Dual Destinies with my sister (it was her first time but not mine) and I swear to god, it was so fucking hard to not say anything when Bobby Fulbright showed up, it was hell
I absolutely love the final trial of this game. Not only is it imo the second best twist villain in the series behind the investigations 2 villain that you'll know if you've played it, but I also love how bobby's personality slowly fades over the course of the trial and is replaced by the cold manipulation and maniacal laughter of the phantom.
(SPOILERS)
I don't know if I'm the only one, but when Fulbright was making his serious face I was so creeped out that I wasn't looking to his emotionless face
It really puts into perspective how in that moment, you realize that the cheerful, clumsy, corny yet well meaning detective was nothing but a blatant lie that never existed
@@Benito675 I mean, he did exist but you never met him.
Spoilers below.
In stories, gloves on a character can indicate that they're hiding a secret. Usually a big one. Just look at Athena.
Now, look at Fulbright.
IN GLOVES WE TRUST!
Rwesthuis have you seen kirigiri from dangan ronpa? lol
So Trucy... =O
PokemonaMoni she was the phantom lmao jk
xD
The breakdown of the Phantom was epic, but in my opinion there was nothing like that first time Dahlia exposed her evil eyes and the butterflies around her turned to ash.
"I have no... self. I am no one. I am nothing but an endless *abyss.* "
I love this theme. Phantom is the best villain ever. IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE SEEN HIS FACE.
True
Probably some random guy's face to be honest. Nothing worth seeing...
Nuclehon Still would be nice to know who he is.
RandomChannel128 maybe in the upcoming game we'll find out who he is and it'll either be like,"WHAAAAT?!" or,"Oh..."
Kawtherina That's not happening, unfortunately. The next game is going to be the start of a new series called the Great Ace Attorney, and it takes place in 20th century Japan.
Some people put forth the theory that the phantom is actually Solomon. Personally I have a few points to counter this
1. They say Solomon is the phantom because he has access to everything in the cosmic center, making it easy to commit all the atrocities. Well, in the game we established that the first person to arrive onto the crime scene of metis Cykes is the killer. Solomon isn't that person. Furthermore, the phantom's original mission is to stop the launch, yet Solomon who they claimed to be the phantom not only made it a successful launch, but made it a miracle that everyone remembers, basically failing his mission in spectacular fashion. Finally, if Solomon was the phantom, the hat 3 launch would've been disrupted with yet another murder.
Solomon basically failed twice at the mission of stopping the hat from going to space, and the very first time he intentionally did so, and on the very last time he also intentionally did so. This will cause his boss to kill him
3 years late, but there is also a Post Credit scene where Solomon goes to space, effectively debunking that fact because Solomon can't still be an astronaut and in jail as the Phantom
When phoenix started quoting Aura about the escape latters, it sent a huge fucking chill down my spine when i realized what this meant.
My God, the Phantom has to be one of the coolest bad guys in all of Phoenix Wright.
Yo, the frickin' Detective is a spy!
SEND THE PYROS
That Fool Bright's a spy!
DETECTIVE IS SPY!
That detective is not one one of ours!
A good spy is usually the person you least expect.
Spoilers
y'know, when this part of the game happened, it hit me like a truck. I was absolutely devastated with how much they tricked me with this twist. But looking at it now, there was a way it could be much worse. what if, instead of creating fulbright, they just used gumshoe for this instead.
I can’t even begin to imagine how upset people would’ve been at that, myself included
Oh my god if they used Gumshoe as the final villain I think I would genuinely feel betrayed!! We went through so much adventures with him. Happy it wasn't him
Edgeworth would have gone nuts if Gumshoe was killed and impersonated like that
Nah that woulda been insane 💀
The reason why we wouldn't believe he was the phantom is mainly that his facade was too real, like this guy would be all the time with his justice thing, we even catch him in 5-4 talking to himself saying something like: "which path is the path of true justice?" So we wouldn't believe he was faking it.
But then he starts wearing the mask of other characters and stays COMPLETELY IN CHARACTER WITH NO FLAW WHATSOEVER.
You gotta admit he’s probably the best spy in the world. The best liars are people that are so convincing that they even believe their own lies. That’s what the phantom is like. He didn’t just act as other people he made himself believe he was them.
I played the DLC case after finishing the actual game. Most of the time I was just thinking about the Phantom and feeling betrayed.
It was, "oh so of the people we've met its probably one of them" and I looked at Fullbright and was just, "nah, that can't possibly be right, there's no way" lol. I was so surprised.
Best plot twist ive seen in the series, even more than matt engarde's reveal, finding out godot was the murderer, or finding out that trucy and apollo are siblings. I didn't suspect fulbright for a SECOND
Considering how every final case in the series was someone no one expected, wouldn't it actually be more effective if in Spirit of Justice the villain was EXACTLY who you expected? I mean, who would honestly see it coming?
lmao yes
Mindfuck.
It already happened in Farewell, My turnabout. Preeeetttyyy sure everybody saw it coming.
OP should say:
Does it look like I give a shit ?
Hmm, nice meme. I rate 9/11
1:23-2:05 is the best part of the ost
i agree the part that uses the fulbrights trumpets is my favorite part
sounds like playing an old Ratchet and Clank game
Easily the best. It uses Fulbright’s trumpets, the beat goes incredibly hard, and it’s so intimidating/chaotic.
"can't accept such evidence here miss Cykes!"
He's probably the only twist villain that's had me fooled the same length as he's had the characters fooled. I genuinely thought it was Aura for most of the case, or alternatively, that Solomon DID actually do it. After the focus shifted to "who's the phantom" instead of "who killed clay" (same difference, but you know what I mean) I briefly even entertained the thought of CLAY being the phantom and Aura killed him in revenge. Hell, The Phantom had me fooled longer: I totally bought the "secret agent tracking the phantom" bit for at least a minute or two even when the internal thought text was like "ok no this guy's bullshitting" because I'm so used to ace attorney villains becoming entirely obvious. DD was probably my least favourite ace attorney game, but I still fucking loved it, case 5 was great.
The moment Fullbright stops being silly and makes a straight face, it is truly terrifying realizing that this happy detective is nothing but a faceless killer with not a shred of remorse or emotions at all
"I never really was on your side." - Spy TF2
Bro really said "fuck you Valve, i'm OP now"
Can I just say how absolutely amazing this theme is?
It's funny that probably everyone was expecting Fulbright to be the next clumsy Gumshoe, but instead we realized he's a mastermind who would put even Kristoph Gavin to shame. It's not possible to choose anyone better than Fulbright to be the Phantom. It's really chilling to think someone so boisterous and flooded with emotions all the time actually felt nothing in the inside.
HEAVY SPOILERS
I don't know for something so badass like the phantom I thought the breakdown was quite underwhelming, but he is really one of the most disturbing villains in the series (going up there with Gant, Dahlia and Callisto) they made quite a nice job with him, and the "stupid" detective disguise was just icing on the cake, I wonder if he will escape and be this de killer like character that pops in from time to time just to fuck things up.
***** MEDIC SPOILERS
The stupid detective disguise made it easier to hate the guy once you know he's not that character you used to like.
Breakdown was amazing. It's basically a tragic "I forgot my true face. Who am I? Where is my face?!" It's the kind of thing that could be funny if it wasn't so freaky and tragic. How he defaults back to Fulbright mask when he's afraid to die. How when he's shot, the Fulbright face slowly falls to the ground. And he's finally unmasked as he falls but we don't see his true face, because even he forgot his true self and face. It's brilliant.
"HEAVY SPOILERS"
Just casually checking ost from unknown game
This has to be my second favourite track
Imagine this song playing every time The Phantom interacts with you or one of your posts and suddenly everything is hilarious.
((-I feel like that trumpet.-))
*hums* It is the most out of place thing there.
Just completed the game. And what a mind twist that last case was. Loved it. Can't wait for the DLC.
Phantom too OP, plz nerf.
NO FGT U A NOOB
@@-.__-.__ GG BOT GIT A LIFE GIT GUD U HAD ENOUGH TIME 7 YEARS
He got that 101 features watch gadget
Such a great theme. Fitting for the finale.
The fact that to this day no one will ever know what this man really looks like is chilling
Nobody outside ace attorney that is.
My theory is that his head is just the size of a peanut and it looks normal-sized because of the hundreds of masks layered on top
"this guy... is he even still human!?"
I had my doubts if Fulbright really was the Phantom, until Athena pointed out that she had yet to hear a single emotion behind Fulbright's words. That hit home when I realized he really is the Phantom, the empty mood matrix was a real bonus as well.
One of the best themes of AA
I have to say, out of everyone we've met, The Phantom is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever met a character who not only has no emotions, but EVERYTHING that makes us human.
Well as they said, they're an endless abyss.
SPOILERS
The main thing that bothered (or unnerved I guess) about this game was that the victims were all really nice people with almost no negative factors (if any). Most, if not all of the previous victims had some quality that made you feel that things worked out for the better with them dead. (Jeez, that really didn't sound that bad in my head...), but then there's the fact that the victims in this game were so nice, and so the endings keep feeling so bittersweet knowing that such nice and important people were gone. I mean, Courte, the reason Klavier is such an awesome dude, and then there's Clay who was Apollo's best friend and if the Phantom's portrayal of Fullbright was spot on, then that means that there was actually a detective out there who was so nice, happy (if a bit dull), and strongly committed to justice.
tl;dr: Gave me feels brah
in justice we trust long ago... now, injustice we trust.
>There was a detective who was nice, happy (if a bit dumb), and strongly committed to justice
Yeah, we used to work with him
In contrast with Apollo Justice, where 3/5 of the victims where complete and utter assholes (Pal Meraktis and the two Gramarye gentlemen)
@@user-bj5ki6sr6c He's talking about the real Fullbright which the Phantom took the identity of, though
@@ananini_ringleadernico
3 Gramarye jackass tbh. Magnifi, Zak and Valant. Only Thalassa and Trucy got away with being decent people lol they escaped the douchebag curse