Gender: None specified
Rank: Decisive Witness
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:34 am
Posts: 288
After replaying some parts of GS4, I'm a bit confused on some points. Namely, what Phoenix and Kristoph really thought of each other during those 7 years, and when Phoenix actually started to suspect Kristoph.
When I first played, I was under the impression that Phoenix had been suspecting Kristoph from the beginning, and basically spent those 7 years setting up the jury system. But now I'm not so sure.
When you talk to Vera during the MASON system in the past, Phoenix breaks her psyche-locks by presenting the nail polish bottle, then Kristoph's profile. Even though Vera doesn't admit that the client was Kristoph, Phoenix has no doubts about it.
The problem is that the MASON section is full of time-travelling contradictions. Here, Phoenix got the bottle from Kristoph in the present. So, the way things actually happened is not the same as what the game shows. I can see 2 possibilities:
- Phoenix somehow obtained (or just saw) Kristoph's nail polish at some point in the past, or
- Phoenix hadn't seen Kristoph's nail polish at the time, which means he never actually broke Vera's psyche-locks.
I doubt there's a definitive answer on this. Now if we look at other scenes.
When you talk to Zak during the MASON system in the present, he mention seeing Gavin. This is apparently pretty important. Later, Phoenix says this:
Quote:
From the moment my "final
competition" with Zak began
that night...
...a name was running
through my head.
...The name of a man now in
prison.
...A name Zak Gramarye knew.
But how? And why...?
And then when you talk to Kristoph, also during MASON:
Quote:
<Phoenix>
After that trial, you were
arrested and found guilty.
But your motive was never
made clear.
[...]
<Kristoph>
I killed a man named "Smith"
with a bottle because I am
an evil human being.
...Isn't that enough?
<Phoenix>
(...Not for me, it isn't.)
(I need to know why you
did it, Gavin.)
Quote:
<Phoenix>
You didn't just brain a guy
with a juice bottle for no
reason.
Tell me why you did it.
<Kristoph>
...Persistent, aren't you?
<Phoenix>
I came here... because I
remembered something.
The night of our "game"...
...Zak Gramarye mentioned your
name, Gavin.
<Zak>
Ah, that reminds me...
I saw a familiar face as I
entered this restaurant.
...He did not seem to
notice me, however.
<Phoenix>
...?
<Zak>
Gavin... I believe was his
name.
<Phoenix>
...After that, he was killed.
And I asked you to help me.
...Because I remembered your
kindness back when everyone
had turned on me.
[...]
<Phoenix>
...I have to know.
Why did you kill Shadi Smith?
No... Zak Gramarye!?
There are several things to note here:
- Phoenix says that he came because Zak mentioned Kristoph's name. This seems to imply that before that, Phoenix didn't know that Kristoph had been Zak's previous lawyer.
- Phoenix seems almost desperate to hear Kristoph's motive. Even though he probably suspects it, it seems that he has no certainty. And maybe it doesn't want it to be true (but I'm probably reading too much into it).
Of course, it's also possible that Phoenix is just being manipulative and is trying to get Kristoph to confess so he can record it with his hidden camera.
- Apparently, at the time Zak was killed, Phoenix really considered Kristoph his friend. But again, maybe he was just being manipulative when he said that...
Then there's another scene:
Quote:
<Phoenix>
You recall that case seven
years ago?
[...]
...That was when I met you,
wasn't it?
<Kristoph>
Was it now.
<Phoenix>
The Bar Association review
board voted unanimously for
the "strictest punishment".
Unanimous... save for one
dissenting opinion. Yours.
<Kristoph>
......
It was my brother who was
responsible for putting you
in that position, after all.
<Phoenix>
For seven years we've been
friends...
...and yet, I still don't
understand you.
<Kristoph>
But Wright, your "friendship"
toward me was never pure.
...You suspected me then as
you still do now, don't you?
<Phoenix>
...Honestly, right now, I'm
not sure what I think.
Here, Kristoph claims that Phoenix has suspected him all these years. But Kristoph is a bit paranoid, and Phoenix's reply is very vague. Again, in this scene it seems to me that Phoenix really considered Kristoph his friend.
So now, my impression is that Phoenix only started to really suspect Kristoph of the forgery after he met Zak again. And I'm also thinking that he didn't start working on the jury system until after Kristoph was convicted.
But aside from the fact that these conversations can be interpreted in various ways, they all come from the MASON section, which, as I've said earlier, is unreliable due to the contradictions.
So I may be wrong, and I'd like to hear your thought about that.
Another thing I want to mention; at the end of case 4-1, Phoenix says this:
Quote:
Kristoph Gavin...
...was a man with much
significance for me.
Both as a friend... and a
lawyer.
This seems important, but I really don't know how to interpret this. If someone has an idea, I'll be glad to hear it.
Finally, about what Kristoph thought of Phoenix. It's rather obvious he didn't have a high opinion of Phoenix and only pretented to be his friend, but... I don't know, I think he was doing more than necessary. The Borscht Bowl Club doesn't seem like his kind of place, yet he frequently dined there with Phoenix. That seems a lot to do just to keep tabs on someone... but then again, Kristoph is paranoid and a bit crazy, so I wouldn't put it past him.
During Phoenix's trial, it seems Kristoph is really trying to help Phoenix (and pin the crime on Olga), even though he didn't have much to lose personally, since Apollo was the lawyer, not him. Granted, maybe his office's reputation would have sufffered anyway if Apollo had lost. But when Phoenix accuses him, Kristoph seems to feel betrayed. I know that's not evidence of anything, but I thought that was interesting.
Thoughts?