Past and present collide in AJ:AA's final case, as Apollo tries to save a young artist from a secret of seven years ago--and takes on the court system itself to do it. Phoenix's legacy is passed on in this surreal, hair-raising finale.

Date: October 7, 2025
Defense Attorney: Apollo Justice
Prosecutor: Klaiver Gavin
Defendant: Lily Bloom
Victim: Arthur Bloom
COD: Poison
MW: A memorial Merlins Troupe Stamp
Guilty: Kristoph Gavin
The case opens with a total trip. A computer screen reading "Mason System" opens up and cycles through several different images, one of which is a scene of two pistols firing on a body suspended in the air. It speaks to you, the player, saying that everything is connected. Will you be able to solve the mystery? The sequence closes with an eerie picture of Kristoph Gavin on the witness stand, surrounded in a bright spotlight.
Day 1
The actual case starts at the office, with Apollo trying to write up a record of his last case (over 3 months ago!) while trying to ignore Trucy. She's excited because Aaron is holding a live magic show at the coliseum. He'll be performing magic tricks by Richard Merlin for the first time in seven years. As she tries to convince Apollo to go, Phoenix shows up with a trio of tickets for them. He insists Apollo take one.
Apollo asks about the "secret mission" Phoenix has been working on all this time, and he admits it's finally time to tell them about it. After all, it has to do with Apollo himself. Phoenix explains that Japan is about to adopt a new method of running trials: the Jury System. Six people will be chosen to watch the trial and give the verdict. Because it's a new system, Phoenix has joined part of a committee that is setting up a "test case" to see how well it does. Just a simple murder trial, he says. And by the way, it's tomorrow and Apollo's the defense attorney in charge.
Phoenix also gives Trucy a "birthday present" (it's not her birthday, but oh well), which is a small purple envelope with the Merlin logo on it. He tells her, very seriously, that she can't open it yet.
Apollo and Trucy head off to the Detention center, with Phoenix's instructions that they can visit the scene and speak to the client, not that they're likely to get anything out of her. At the visiting area they stand waiting for nearly twenty minutes before realizing that their client is even there, hiding out of view. Though they manage to coax her out into the open, they can't get her to talk (she's busy painting her nails). Trucy even tries pulling out Mr. Hat, but that causes the girl to pass out.
When their client comes to, she finally hands over her name card, and they learn her name is Lily Bloom. She works at the Arthur Studio. Deciding Phoenix was right, and talking to her isn't going to help, the pair head to the studio.
It turns out that the studio is also the scene of the crime. Ema is there already, and gives away that the victim is Lily's father, Arthur Bloom. Lily may not look like a murderer, but the murder was carried out using poison, which just about anyone can do. The poison was discovered in Arthur's coffee mug ("Not something you see every day" Apollo remarks). Arthur and his daughter were complete recluses, who didn't use email or ever let anyone in the studio. Lily was even in a panic when they tried to arrest her, claiming the outside world would kill her. The only person to see the studio before the crime other than the two of them was a reporter that had been invited in. Ema says she can't tell them any more about that, since the reporter is set to be a witness, but they can look around the scene if they like, as she's busy snacking.
Apollo takes the mug into evidence, and discovers a small blue mark on the lip. They also find three paintings, one of which isn't finished, a letterbox near the door, and another painting hidden behind a dresser. The fourth painting looks like a finished version of one of the first three.
The other half of the room sports several machines and monitors, along with a drafting table. On a small table in the center of the room they find a picture of Arthur and his daughter (several years old), a small, empty picture frame (only 3cm by 3cm), and a red envelope sticking out of a drawer. The envelope looks as if it has been sealed, opened, and then sealed again. The postmark on it is seven years old.
They show their finds to Ema. Ema explains that the blue mark on the cup indicates a chemical reaction proving the prBloomnce of a deadly poison. She gives them some of her solution to test the rest of the room, if they want. After some haphazard spraying, Apollo finds traces of poison on the tiny picture frame. As for the envelope, Ema lets them put it through a special X-ray machine she brought to the scene, so that they can peek at the contents without destroying the seal. Inside is a letter, addressed to Dobukuro, saying "I've deposited the fee of ¥10,000,000 into the designated account. Please confirm the payment by mailing me a receipt." That's some serious money.
Ema finally gives up the name of the witness, offering them his business card: Crest Lian, journalist. He mentioned something about going to see Aaron's show.
Apollo and Trucy head to the coliseum, where they run into Aaron. When they ask about Lian, he remembers the man, saying that when he laughs he smells like mint. He rips up the business card, and though Apollo assumes it's another part of his act, and that he'll put it back to normal...he doesn't. That's the part that makes the trick original.
They chat about Aaron's show, and he admits that the reason this show is so special is that he finally has the rights to use Richard Merlin's tricks on stage. After Richard's death ownership of the secrets passed to Zach, and when Zach disappeared 7 years ago so did the rights. But now he's been declared legally dead, and as such Aaron can start using the tricks again. Trucy is especially looking forward to the show.
Trucy then shows Aaron the Merlin envelope that Phoenix gave her, and Aaron suddenly flips out, demanding to know where she got it. The writing on the back belongs to Zach. But Apollo reminds Trucy they promised Phoenix they wouldn't open it.
Apollo and Trucy return to the Detention Center, where they find Lian trying to interview Lily (with very little success). He's a skinny man with a big nose and a weak chin, and very hyper. As they chat, Lian reveals a bit of news he dug up : a famous oil painting was recently stolen from its gallery . In fact, it's the one of a giant peach Apollo happens to have in his court record.
They go back to the scene and ask Ema about the painting. She gives in: Arthur Bloom is actually a counterfeiter. The painting they found behind his dresser was stolen, and he was recreating it to be sold. That's also the real reason why she has her handy X-ray machine with her - by using it on the paintings they can see beneath the paint to the guidelines a counterfeiter would have drawn on the canvas.
Using the machine, Apollo inspects the paintings, but instead of sketch lines they find entirely different drawings underneath. Beneath the squiggly Picasso-like painting is a scene of two men playing cards. Under the painting of a blowfish is a man pulling a cart. And under the peach painting is a man on a stage, seemingly on fire.
Apollo flips out, and lines up the pictures together - each one represents one of the cases he's tried!

Day 2
At court the next day, Lily is doing her nails again. When Apollo asks if she's all right, instead of just answering she draws out a smilie face on her notepad to assure him.
In the courtroom, the Judge is especially nervous: the 6 test jurors are watching the case from a live video feed to the next floor. Both he and Klaiver are anxious about putting on a good show (Klaiver uses his air guitar animation at least five times in this first trial day alone). Klaiver sets up the scene, reporting that Arthur was killed by poisoned coffee. Apollo objects right off the bat to remind him it was the cup that had the poison traces, not the coffee itself (there was only a small spot on the lip). The autopsy report is entered into evidence, saying that the victim died between 9 and 9:30, from Atrocinine poisoning. Though the poison is slow acting, it is so deadly that even 0.002 milligrams is enough to kill a person. Lily herself admits to having served the fatal coffee cup.
Lian takes the stand, and testifies that he arrived at the studio around 9 pm. Lily served them both coffee but he didn't drink any, as he was too busy studying the machines on the other side of the room. The moment Arthur took a sip from his mug, he immediately fell over and died.
Apollo presents the autopsy report - the poison is slow acting and would have taken at least 15 minutes to kill anyone, so he couldn't have falling over after just one sip. Lian amends his testimony, but he does not take back his statement, standing by his word that the death was instantaneous. He instead changes the subject, saying that even Lily herself admits to serving the coffee.
Klaiver is amused. He says he should have known there was no way Phoenix Wright would ever choose a "simple" murder case.
Lian continues his testimony, and this time remembers what Arthur was doing when he first arrived: he was writing a letter. As soon as Lian came inside he quickly sealed up the letter in a yellow envelope and put it in the letter box at the door. Maybe it was his last will or something!
Apollo presents the red envelope. Could it be this is what Lian meant? But the red letter is seven years old and addressed to Arthur, so why would he put it in the letter box? (which was discovered empty at the scene, btw). Lian insists the letter was being sent out, as after he finished writing it Arthur had to search around for a stamp.
Lian's nose puffs as if he's smelling something: even without the Minuku System it's obvious that he "smells news." He suggests that maybe the red envelope Apollo presented has something to do with the incident seven years ago. He knows something about that, but won't say what.
The Trucy System kicks in this time, and when Lian testifies about how "talented" Arthur was, Apollo catches him sweating profusely. Lian gives up his information: Arthur may deal in paintings now, but he used to forge evidence. The letter in the envelope may be referring to payment for some evidence he had forged for someone.
Klaiver objects, saying that whatever the letter says, it has nothing to do with the case. Apollo fires back that if Arthur was dealing with criminals and forged evidence, chances are he has many enemies who might have wanted him dead. But Klaiver counters again, saying there's no evidence of such enemies having anything to do with the current crime.
Lian confirms that there was no one else in the room that night but him and Lily. Nothing came or left the room other than him. Apollo points to the letterbox - if Lian still insists a yellow envelope was put inside, and it was not discovered by the police later, then it must have gotten sent out. They are missing crucial evidence!
Klaiver objects to the idea that it was crucial. As Lian continues his testimony he adds that the coffee cup was the only thing that touched Arthur's mouth that evening. Apollo speaks up again about the letter. If he were to mail the letter, he would have had to lick the stamp to fix it on the envelope. Maybe the reason the coffee cup only has trace amounts of the poison is because the poison was originally from somewhere else, and it rubbed off onto Arthur's tongue, and THEN onto the mug.
Lian's nose starts going again, and the Judge asks him what's up. Lian admits that though he remembers Arthur looking for the stamp, he doesn't remember him finding one. Klaiver adds that the police didn't find a single stamp in the studio. Apollo presents the tiny picture frame. Not only does it have traces of the deadly poison on it, but it's just the right size to house a stamp. Klaiver falters - Ema didn't tell him anything about that! (Paybacks for case 3, maybe?).
Apollo presents the red envelope again. The letter inside asks for Arthur to mail back a receipt with the enclosed postage - maybe the stamp came from there. Maybe the stamp itself was the "murder weapon." Arthur was known back then for forging evidence, after all.
Klaiver objects, calling his theory ridiculous. When Trucy tries to stand up for Apollo, he continues to mock them. That's when a voice alerts them from the witness stand: "It's not nice to tease little girls...Klaiver."
Klaiver is startled, and for a moment sees his brother, Kristoph, on the stand. But it's only Ema, having imitated his voice. She claims she's come to save the day. There's one way to test Apollo's theory: they just have to test the letter from the envelope for traces of Atrocinine. She does so, and they find a small smear at the bottom of the paper, just big enough for a stamp.
Whoever sent Arthur that letter was setting him up to be murdered. But maybe Arthur realized that it was a trap, and put the stamp in the frame, returning the "receipt" with a normal stamp. The Judge is convinced, but then Klaiver interrupts with a guitar riff. There's a huge contradiction in Apollo's theory, that being how did Arthur see through the murderous stamp, only to fall for it seven years later? If he put the stamp specially into the tiny frame because he KNEW it would kill him, how could he just forget about that?
Apollo talks through the crime. Seven years ago Arthur received the letter with the poisoned stamp. He put it away for safe keeping, and the poison left traces on the frame. Then, seven years later, Arthur used the stamp on the yellow envelope, transferring the poison from the stamp, to his tongue, to the coffee mug. If his theory is right, one of thBloom pieces of evidence has to be fake.
Apollo presents Arthur himself. The only way for Arthur to have fallen for a murder plan he originally saw though is if there are TWO of them. The Arthur that died is a fake! The real counterfeiter is none other than his daughter, Lily!
Klaiver rocks out on his air guitar and calls Lily to the stand. Her expression changes for the first time when she sees Klaiver, ducking away and staring at him intensely. Klaiver doesn't mind - he's used to girls staring at him.
With some coaxing, Lily confesses that SHE is the forger, working under her father's name. The letter was sent to her, and she is the one that put the stamp in the frame.
The Court goes nuts, and the Judge calls a recess.
In the lobby, Lily confesses to Apollo and Trucy again that she is the counterfeiter. Her father was an artist, and ever since she was very young she would paint with him. It was then that he realized she had an amazing gift: she could copy anything he showed her. And not just paintings - ANYTHING. That's when he started selling her forged works.
They're called back to court, but before they go, Apollo asks her about the pictures hidden beneath her forged art. Lily admits that her father already knew about Apollo, and was always talking about Phoenix Wright and his law office. He's gathered all sorts of information on them. He also seemed especially happy to hear that someone was practicing law out of Wright & Co. again.
Court comes to order, and Lily takes the stand. She still seems unnaturally concerned about Klaiver. She testifies that the red envelope was indeed for her, and the job it mentions was for her first forgery that wasn't a painting. She didn't realize that the stamp was poisonous, she only took it because it was pretty and she liked it. That's why it was in a frame. After that job was finished, she and her father closed themselves up in the studio and stopped taking visitors. Now she paints picture books.
Apollo asks to hear more about the stamp itself and why she liked it so much. Lily says that it was an anniversary stamp, and had on it a picture of some famous magicians she liked. They broke up right after the envelope incident, which made her very sad.
Apollo asks if it was, by chance, a stamp featuring the Merlin Troupe. When she confirms, Klaiver suddenly leans over his desk, sweating. He demands to know what evidence it was that Lily forged. When Lily admits it was a page from a book he becomes even more agitated, and asks if it was a journal, with the Merlin logo on the back.
Apollo objects, telling Klaiver to stop harassing the witness, as she's answering all his questions willingly - there's no need to yell at her (by now Lily's so nervous she's taken to biting her nails). But then Klaiver yells at him, asking if Phoenix really told him nothing about the case seven years ago that cost him his lawyer's badge. The forged evidence that got Phoenix disbarred was a page from a book with the Merlin logo.
Startled, Apollo turns to Lily and asks to know who it was that hired her to make that evidence. Lily admits she met the person only once. She stares at Klaiver for a long time, and finally tells them, "the Devil." Suddenly, she falls back from the witness stand, flopping limply to the ground.
Court is emptied. Lily is admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital for Atrocinine poisoning.
And this is where things get interesting.
The screen goes black, narrator tells us, the players, "There is one more court record on the long journey towards the truth. We must go there in order to know everything."

7 Years ago, April 19th.
Phoenix Wright is in the Defense Lobby preparing for court, nervous as he was his first day. He's been given a case just the night before and has almost no knowledge of the case and evidence. All he has in the court record is a color photo of the crime scene (an old man in a hospital bed, with a pistol nearby), and the autopsy report (the victim was killed between 11:00 and 11:30 pm, shot in the forehead).
Phoenix's client shows up - a tan man in a reddish-pink magician's costume (he looks suspiciously like 4-1's victim). His name is Kagerou Nanafushi, but on stage he goes by the name Zach Merlin. The man he's accused of killing is his master, Richard Merlin. Though Phoenix is a little unsure about the case, since he knows so little about it, Zach assures him that everything will be fine. In fact, it would be "impossible" for court to find him guilty today. He seems to be the most confident client Phoenix has ever had. His daughter Trucy is with him.
Phoenix has also heard that today's prosecutor is new. He's supposedly a genius, but by Phoenix's recollection there's a new one of those every year.
Before they go into court Trucy hands Phoenix a note. She says that someone outside gave it to her to give to "the spiky-haired lawyer in blue." Phoenix glances over it - it looks like a page ripped out of a book, and almost reads like a suicide note. He's not sure what it means so he tucks it away and heads to court.
The prosecutor of the case is none other than 17 year old Klaiver Gavin, younger brother of Defense Attorney Kristoph Gavin. And first on the stand is Dick Gumshoe, who's especially eager to best Phoenix this time. He sets up the case: Richard Merlin was shot 6 days ago in his hospital room. For the past year he'd been hospitalized due to cancer, and also suffered from diabetes. His doctors said he only had about three months left to live. As for the motive, Gumshoe says that Zach was ordered by Richard himself to do it. Before the murder Zach received a letter from his master, which is entered into the court record. It instructs Zach to come to his hospital room at 11:05 pm, and use the gun Richard himself had already prepared to shoot his forehead. The end also mentions, "You have a reason you can't refuse." From the sound of it, Richard was blackmailing his own student into murdering him. The murder weapon was a pistol, discovered at the crime scene.
Phoenix presents the crime scene photo, which shows a clown doll next to the bed - it also has been shot in the forehead. It's possible Zach shot that, and not his master. After all, the note doesn't say who to shoot. Klaiver suggests that Zach merely shot one after the other, but Phoenix then presents the murder weapon itself: it's one of the pistols Zach and Aaron use in their magic show, and it can only fire one shot at a time. And like Richard's letter says, "I've prepared the gun." There's nothing about Zach having to prepare a second shot.
Klaiver admits that much, but he's also got a witness. Court is adjourned for 15 minutes so the police can investigate the clown, and Klaiver can get prepared.
In the lobby, Zach isn't prepared to tell Phoenix what the "reason" mentioned in the letter is. But he does say that when he arrived at the hospital room, Richard was merely asleep, and there were TWO pistols on the table. He even admits that he almost shot Richard like the letter said, but then he backed down and shot the clown instead. The sound woke Richard and they spoke for a few minutes, but he won't tell Phoenix the content of that conversation, either. When he left he took the first pistol with him.
Back in court, the bullet has been removed from the clown, but they didn't have time to match it to the murder weapon. Instead, Klaiver's supposedly "irrefutable" witness is ready. Phoenix isn't impressed - he's seen plenty of "irrefutable" witnesses in his day.
A young Aaron takes the stand, just as grandiose as ever. He testifies that he also received a letter, same as Zach's, except that it asked for him to arrive at 11:20. When he arrived Richard was dead, and he called the police. He also claims to have shot the doll like the note said.
Phoenix presents the murder weapon again. If it was already used to kill Richard and can only carry one shot, how could Aaron have shot the doll? There must have been TWO pistols there that night, and one was taken from the scene. Klaiver's witness isn't so perfect after all.
Klaiver objects, and has Aaron testify again, this time about the time of death. Richard's death was confirmed as being at 11:10, because of his IV drip. The needle was pulled from his arm when he was shot, and since the new solution was added at 11:00 that night, they were able to determine how much time had passed from the time that he died to when he was found, based on the amount of solution left in the bag. Since Aaron called the nurses in at 11:20, they were able to determine that Richard had died ten minutes earlier, thus, 11:10.
Aaron remarks that it's very lucky they were able to do so, otherwise he might have been a suspect. Yellow - the color of the medication - has always been his lucky color.
Phoenix objects, pointing out that according to the crime scene photo, the medicine is green. Klaiver argues that it's in a blue bag, and the combination is what makes it look green. The medicine itself is still yellow. But that only helps Phoenix's case: how would Aaron know what color the medicine was before it was in the bag? It's possible that Aaron saw it before it was in the bag. Maybe he even added extra to the bag himself, to trick the nurses into miscalculating the time of death!
Klaiver objects - there's no proof he did such a thing. But Phoenix presents the crime scene photo, which shows an empty syringe on the table next to the gun. Every night at eleven the doctor gave Richard a syringe of insulin for his diabetes. Assuming he didn't use it (as he was expecting to be shot), why is the syringe empty? Aaron could have used the syringe to inject more solution into the IV bag.
The Judge is mostly convinced, but before he can adjourn the court for further investigation, Klaiver interrupts. He presents Richard's journal, which the old master had been keeping ever since entering the hospital. The last page reads "whether this account continues or not is up to him." Richard intended to keep writing in his journal, if Zach was not able to kill him. But the journal stops there, which means he must have died just before Zach showed up.
Phoenix hesitates a moment, noticing that the journal is missing a page. Is Klaiver really so new that he wouldn't have noticed it? He presents the notebook page Trucy gave him earlier. The page appears to be a continuation of the diary, written AFTER Zach left. It indicates that Richard was next expecting Aaron to end his life. And since it is the last page, it implicates HIM as the murderer.
Klaiver objects, as if he expected Phoenix to present that very page. He quickly asks the Judge if he can call a special witness, related to this piece of evidence. Though confused, the Judge agrees. Phoenix has a very bad feeling about what's about to happen.
Called to the stand is Arthur Bloom, artist. He admits that he knows something about the "missing page" Phoenix has just presented - in fact, he's the one he made it. He confesses to having forged the evidence as per a client's request, though he had no idea it was going to be used in a murder trial. He even leaves a mark on all his work to confirm that it's his. Klaiver informs the court that he received a tip the day before that the false evidence would appear, and here it is! Phoenix is attempting to fool the court with a forgery!
Phoenix of course objects, saying he had no idea the evidence was forged. But Klaiver is quick to retort, pointing out that he is the one who just presented it. And how can Phoenix tell the court he presented evidence he got second hand from his own client's daughter? The Judge shakes his head, deeply disappointed. He informs Phoenix that an inquiry will have to take place to determine what punishment is enough for this offense. Distressed over the turn of events, Arthur asks for Phoenix's name, and promises to remember him.
Zach is called to the stand. Phoenix, in a desperate attempt to save his client, accepts responsibility for the forged evidence and insists that Zach can't be sentenced based on what he did. But Zach still isn't worried. He tells the Judge that you can't pronounce a man guilty if he doesn't exist.
Zach laughs, and disappears into thin air.
The court goes crazy, and immediately men are dispatched to search for the missing defendant, but he's gone. A verdict is never given. In the aftermath of the trial, Phoenix is called into a hearing with his fellow lawyers, and after some debate he is stripped of his lawyer badge for having submitted intentionally forged evidence to court.
And here's where things get REALLY interesting.
Older Phoenix appears, revealing himself as the narrator from the beginning of the case. He tells you, the player, that the case seven years ago is still casting a shadow on the present. There are many mysteries left to solve. Who killed Richard? Who forged the note, and where did Zach go after he disappeared?
The Mason System is loaded again, and Phoenix explains that he created this "game" to help bring the truth forward. There are 4 keys in the past, and 4 in the future. You'll need all of them in order to solve the case and find the truth. He also reminds you that he has his own tool, like Apollo's bracelet - the Magatama. Let the game begin.
The Mason System is set up as a pair of computer screens, each with four "chapters" (one screen for the past, one for the future). The four future chapters start out as question marks. I'm going to describe them chronologically here, but it's not necessarily the order you're supposed to play them.

7 Years ago, Wright & Co. Law Offices
Two weeks after having his badge stripped, Phoenix returns to his office and finds Trucy there. Now that her father has disappeared, and her mother was already dead, she has no one. Phoenix offers to take her in, and she agrees. She immediately decides that he ought to make a new office. Now that's he "fired" he should start a more interesting job (law sounds boring). She introduces him to her Mr. Hat.
Phoenix asks about her mother, and Trucy tells him her name was Yvonne. She has a picture of her in her locket, which she shows to Phoenix. She's a lovely brunette (the blue-clad magician pictured in the Merlin stamp Lily had). Trucy tells him that her mother disappeared during a magic trick and didn't come back.

7 Years ago, Defense Lobby
Phoenix pays a visit to the courthouse, and there finds the familiar Mike Meekins hanging around Defense Lobby #2. Meekins doesn't seem to really remember him. In fact, he's no longer a patrolman. After having misplaced 4 reports in 3 days he was canned, and now works as a court official. He was one of the men searching for Zach the day he disappeared, and chased him into this very room. But he vanished!
Phoenix tries to ask him more about this, but two Psycho Locks appear. Phoenix uses the magatama, and pries the story out of him. Meekins chased Zach from outside the courtroom. Zach disappeared around a corner for a second, and when Meekins caught up Zach ducked into lobby 2. But when Meekins entered the room himself, only Trucy was there. Phoenix figures out what happened: Zach ran, and when he disappeared around the corner, he must have ducked into a different room. The "Zach" Meekins saw when he rounded the corner was actually Trucy’s Mr. Hat. Then Trucy and Mr. Hat ducked into lobby 2, and by the time Meekins followed, she'd already put Mr. Hat away.
Trucy was part of the plan all along - Zach always meant to disappear that day.

7 Years ago, Arthur Studio
Phoenix visits the studio run by the man who unintentionally ruined him. Around the studio, Phoenix can see a red envelope and a stamp of the Merlin. Arthur still feels awful about what happened in court, and talks for a bit about how he started forging. When Phoenix asks him about whoever hired him to forge the diary page, he clams up and two psycho locks appear. Magatama time! Phoenix deduces that Arthur is protecting someone, that being his daughter, the REAL forger.
Arthur admits it. He says he never met the client - only Lily did, and when the person left, she was smiling openly for the first time he'd seen. Lily is a very shy, sheltered child, after all. She was even kidnapped once, which is why she's so afraid of leaving the house, and thinks everyone outside is bad.
Arthur brings Lily out for Phoenix to talk to. It takes Phoenix a while to get a reaction out of her, but when he mentions the Merlin Troupe she warms up immediately. She says she and her client talked about them for a long time. He even gave her her a present that protects her outside, which is what gave her the courage to go out and see the Merlin Show live. But she can't talk about it, because he told her that if she did, the magic would wear off and she'd be vulnerable again. Two psycho locks appear (You can't break thBloom locks until after you've visited the future, but I'll describe them now anyway).
Phoenix presents a bottle of nail polish, like the one Lily has on her desk. Lily reluctantly admits that it's the magic charm she was given. He then presents Kristoph Gavin himself as the one who gave it to her, also true. Lily says that at the moment he gave it to her, she felt that he was something extraordinary. He's either an angel, or a devil.

7 Years ago, Detention
At the detention center, Phoenix meets with Aaron. Aaron had thought that Zach's disappearance would be seen as a confession to his crimes, and that he ran away to avoid the verdict. But it seems that people now suspect Zach did this only to protect Aaron, the real killer. He still hasn't been cleared of suspicion. But Aaron is confident that now that Zach is gone, he'll be the one to inherit Richard's tricks, and will be able to live very well off his show.
Phoenix asks him about the "reason" Richard mentioned in his letter that was strong enough to almost get both his students to commit murder. 4 psycho locks appear (this one I'm not sure if you have to do the future sections first). Phoenix shows the magatama to being the unlocking process. He asks Aaron if the Merlin tricks are dangerous, and when Aaron asks for proof, he presents the pistol used in the murder. Of course in the show it's only supposed to be a trick, but both guns are still capable of firing bullets. Accidents could happen. As proof, he then presents the locket which shows Trucy’s mother, Yvonne, and then the stamp he saw at Doboruko Studio of her in a magician's outfit. Yvonne wasn't just Trucy’s mother, she used to be part of the show. And she died during a trick Aaron and her husband Zach performed.
Aaron admits that much. But he asks what that would have to do with Richard, and for that Phoenix presents Yvonne's profile. She was Richard's only daughter. Of course he would have known.
Aaron breaks down and confesses. Yvonne was the assistant to their Zach and Aaron show. During a rehearsal, they practiced the trick where both men shot at her with the trick pistols. But something went wrong, and she was actually shot. To this day they don't know whose gun fired the bullet that killed her. After that, the relationship between the three was of course very strained. Richard never let them forget, and that was the leverage he held over them to orchestrate his death.
Aaron still insists that he did not shoot Richard in the hospital. As Phoenix leaves, he thinks to himself that the Merlin are all dangerous people, and that he has to protect Trucy from them.

Present day, The Russian Restaurant Borscht (just before Turnabout Aces)
Kristoph and Phoenix are just wrapping up their dinner meeting. After Kristoph leaves and Phoenix is preparing to actually play a song, Kagerou shows up, along with Lian. It takes Phoenix a while to recognize him as being Zach. They chat for a while about Trucy and how she's doing, but when Phoenix tries to ask him about Trucy’s mother Yvonne, he won't talk about it.
Zach shows Phoenix the real page from Richard's diary, which he obtained the night of the murder. It's signed by Richard himself and says that he leaves all his magical secrets to Zach. But Zach has a letter of his own - a pink envelope with his own last will, signing the tricks over to Trucy. Not that he wants to see Trucy. He came tonight to challenge Phoenix to a game of poker.
The night that Kagerou hired Phoenix as his lawyer seven years ago, they played poker, and Kagerou lost. It was only his second time losing ever, the first having been to Richard himself. It was a test of his, and now he wants to confirm what he first thought back then. When Phoenix tries to probe further, 3 locks pop up. But Zach does mention that he recognizes Kristoph from somewhere. He says he's a dangerous man.
Phoenix challenges the psycho locks. He asks about Yvonne, but Zach doesn't want to talk about here. Phoenix presents the Merlin Pistol, saying that he knows about the accident that killed her. Zach confirms. It turns out the poker test has to do with a "power" that certain people have. Richard had it, and so did his daughter, Yvonne. Now Trucy has it. Phoenix says he knows one more person who might have it, and presents Apollo's profile. He doesn't remember Apollo's name at the time, only that he's a new lawyer working for Kristoph. Zach doesn't believe it at first, but then Phoenix presents to him a photo he happens to have of Yvonne (he doesn't get this until further in the future, oddly enough). The photo shows Yvonne sitting at a table with her hands folded near her face. She's wearing a pair of bracelets, one just like Apollo's.
Zach breaks down and explains more about the "Minuku" power. It responds to a person's nervousness, and reads their body language. Though this is part of any magician's act, the Merlin family had an extra power for it, which is amplified by the bracelets. If Apollo has the power, it would mean he's part of the family as well! Lian, who has been rBloomarching the family and the cases surrounding them for some time, confirms that Yvonne was married before meeting Zach, and that her first husband was also a performer. Apollo must be her child from that first marriage.
Apollo and Trucy are half siblings. Phoenix promises to tell them when the time is right.
Zach goes on to describe the "test" Richard set up for his students the night of his death. He had left two pistols, and two notes with instructions for Zack and Aaron. When Zach arrived, he couldn't bring himself to shoot Richard, so he shot the doll instead. That was the right choice. When Richard awoke, he told Zach that he would pass all his tricks on to him. If he had left without shooting the doll, the test would have continued to Aaron. If he had killed Richard, his tricks would have been lost forever. Zach then left with the pistol.
Zach apologizes to Phoenix for having involved him in their mess. As soon as they've finished their match, he intends to disappear again. But when Phoenix tells him that Aaron, after all thBloom years, still can't clear himself completely of suspicion in Richard's murder, Zach decides there's one more thing he has to clear up. He writes out a letter of confession and gives it to Phoenix, declaring that he killed Richard.

Present day, Prison
Shortly after the death of Arthur, Phoenix visits Kristoph in prison. The man is as enigmatic as ever. He tells Phoenix that though he remembers Zach Merlin from the case seven years ago, he never dreamed that Kagerou Urafushi was really him. Speaking of that old case, Kristoph confesses he never thought Phoenix would lose his badge over the mess. He was one of the lawyers that participated in Pheonix's hearing, and was the only one who objected to the allegations against him. He asks Phoenix if it was that which made him suspect him of the forgery. Phoenix confesses that he still isn't sure. After all this time he still doesn't really understand Kristoph at all.
Phoenix asks Kristoph about why he killed Kagerou, but 5 BLACK psycho locks appear, which he has has no chance of breaking. But he does notice a yellow envelope on Kristoph's table before he leaves, and Kristoph giving himself a manicure (this is where you get the nail polish that Phoenix uses in the past to get to Lily).

Present day, Arthur Studio
Phoenix visits the crime scene of Arthur Bloom, and there meets Lian, who has been pursing the mysteries of the connected cases for many years. He says that Arthur confessed to him that he felt watched, all the time, which is how Lian has felt himself. Perhaps Phoenix, too, has felt watched...? He wonders if that is the reason Zach didn't contact him at all until recently, as the two of them had been friends ever since the disappearance of Yvonne. He interviewed Zach at the time and they started working together after that. He even came up with a theory of his own, that there was a secret love triangle between Zach, Aaron, and the lovely Yvonne.
Lian also details that Yvonne was married to another performer before Zach. She had a child before Trucy - what could have happened to him? The Merlin's have a great talent, after all, and there's a good chance the boy has it, too. Lian gives Phoenix a picture of Yvonne (the picture with the bracelets that Phoenix shows Kagerou, several months before now).

Present day, Hommue Coliseum
Phoenix pays Aaron a visit before the debut of his new show. When he tries to ask Aaron about why he had to wait so long for this, 2 psycho locks appear. Phoenix tells him that even though it's been seven years and Zach has been claimed legally (and literally) dead, Aaron still can't perform Merlin's tricks - he presents the letter Zach left for Trucy as proof. SHE owns the tricks now. As for Richard, Zach confessed to that as well, as Phoenix proves by presenting his second letter.
Aaron's psycho locks break, and he tells Phoenix that the confession is a lie. Richard was still alive when Aaron came. But Aaron couldn't bring himself to shoot his master, and started to leave without doing anything. That's when Richard stopped him, and told him that he'd already passed his tricks on to Zach. Aaron failed his test.
Phoenix asks if it really was Aaron that killed Richard after all, but Aaron reminds him there was still one other person in the room with the pistol: Richard himself. As Aaron left the hospital room, he was in shock. He stood outside in the hall, devastated by the knowledge that his career was probably over. It was then that he heard the gunshot, and when he went back into the room, Richard was dead. He killed himself.
And that's when Aaron committed an even greater sin - he tried to set up Zach for the murder. He even realized ahead of time that the note was a test, that Zach had to have gotten the same one. He had intended from the beginning to kill Richard and frame Zach so that he would be the one to inherit Richard's magic. Though he didn't go through with the murder itself, he did resume his plan to frame Zach. He tampered with the IV unit and set the gun on the table out of Richard's reach.
Phoenix thanks him for telling him the truth after all thBloom years. Before he leaves, Aaron says there's a chance that "she" might still be alive...

Present Day, Prison
Phoenix goes back to Kristoph's cell, but he's not there at the moment. He grabs up the yellow envelope left on Kristoph's table and finds the Merlin stamp there. A quick sprits of Ema's scientific solution reveals traces of Atrocinine poisoning around it. Finally, Phoenix has the proof he needs - he even takes a look at the note inside. But before he can leave with the letter, Kristoph returns, and notices it missing. He politely asks Phoenix to give it back, which he has no choice but to do.
Kristoph smiles, and tells him that Lily probably won't live much longer.

The Mason System is completed, and Phoenix returns. He says you now have seven years worth of clues to go off of. The real trial is about to start. You're the only one who can find the truth.

Day 3
Court resumes, and though everyone feels bad about it, they have to continue without the defendant herself present. She's still in the hospital and could die any time. But Apollo is confident. Phoenix told him the entire story the night before, and now in his court record he has Kristoph's nail polish, the Merlin Stamp, and the yellow envelope Arthur sent out the night he was killed. (That's right, he's not supposed to have the yellow envelope)
Klaiver declares that Lily's being poisoned by the same substance that killed her father is evidence of her guilt. She couldn't bear the weight of her sin, and decided to kill herself. But Apollo objects, suggesting that she was merely another target. Klaiver challenges him to tell the court how she was poisoned, and by who. Apollo chooses to answer the first question, and presents the nail polish. Lily had the same bottle. And like they all saw in court, Lily was biting her nails just before she passed out. Did anyone check her fingernails?
Klaiver is silent. He seems to have been struck speechless by the appearance of the bottle.
The Judge then asks for Apollo to say who it was that tried to kill Lily, and Apollo presents Kristoph's profile. He's the one he got this bottle from, after all. Klaiver quickly objects - his brother is in jail, and couldn't possibly have killed anyone. But Apollo points out that the nail polish could have been poisoned long before that. Maybe even months and years ago. Again Klaiver is speechless.
The Judge asks that Kristoph be pulled from prison to appear as a special witness in the trial, and Klaiver is forced to agree. After a recess, Kristoph takes the stand. He greets Apollo pleasantly and congratulates him on how well he's doing.
Apollo shows him the bottle of nail polish, an expensive, popular brand called Ariadne. Kristoph admits that he's a big fan, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. He even turns to Klaiver, asking why he's been brought out here at all. When Klaiver tells him that Apollo is accusing him of murder, he asks Klaiver what he thinks of that. Klaiver can't answer.
Kristoph begins his testimony. Being in prison, he had no opportunities to administer poison. Lily probably killed her father and then herself. As Apollo presses, Klaiver objects strongly each time. Even Trucy notes that he's being especially tenacious - nervous, maybe, since his brother is there?
At the end of his testimony Kristoph adjusts his glasses, saying that it's ridiculous to accuse him of murdering Lily, unless Apollo's also accusing him of murdering her father...? Apollo's Minuku zooms in on Kristoph's hand, where a faint scar is visible across the back of his palm. As the tendons of his hand constrict tensely, for a moment it looks like there's a skull's face formed in his skin.
Apollo accuses Kristoph of tensing up, to which Kristoph calmly replies, "Does that mean all nervous witnesses are guilty?" After all, it's not like Arthur wears nail polish. Apollo presents the Merlin stamp. Though the method of poisoning was different, it was the same substance.
Kristoph reminds him that Lian had said Arthur was "looking for" a stamp. The Merlin stamp was in plain sight, so that means Arthur didn't initially intend to use it. That's a pretty poor excuse for a murder weapon, if Arthur only picked it up by chance. He scoffs at Klaiver for not being able to see through such a weak bluff.
Klaiver pounds the wall. "I wanted to believe in you," he admits. He points out that in his answer, Kristoph said he couldn't have known when Arthur would use the stamp. But that's besides the point, since the only thing that matters is that he DID use it, and it WAS poisoned.
Kristoph glares at him, but then goes back to Apollo. What motive could he have to kill Arthur? Apollo and Trucy confer for a moment. Usually motive is one of the first things Kristoph would have mentioned. The fact that he's only falling back on that now might mean there's an opening somewhere they can take advantage of. Apollo presents the red envelope. The stamp was sent in the first place through a letter between client to craftsman. It was never proved seven years ago who ordered the forgery Lily made.
Klaiver objects: who would order such a forgery if not the lawyer who presented it? Apollo reminds Klaiver that the stamp is seven years old, so the motive for killing the Blooms is probably just as old. Whoever ordered the forgery must have been trying to tie up all lose ends and silence everyone involved by killing them. It's a clear motive.
The court falls eerily silent, and Klaiver points out that Apollo has just proved Phoenix Wright had the most motive for committing the murder. Apollo objects. Not only did Phoenix get the evidence from Trucy, he didn't even take Zach's case those seven years ago until the night before the trial. He had no time to have forged anything. Klaiver is shocked. He had no idea Phoenix had that little time.
Apollo goes on to say that Zach even had another lawyer on his case, who was fired in favor of Phoenix. In fact, it was Kristoph Gavin!
Kristoph strongly denies it. Apollo threatens to check the old court record, but Kristoph tells him he can't. Council is only logged into the court record the night before the trial. The Judge confirms - there will be no record of Kristoph having ever taken Zach's case.
Klaiver, leaned over his bench and sweating, haltingly asks Apollo if he has any proof. In fact, he nearly begs him, despite the disapproval of his brother. He declares that he won't be able remain a prosecutor if his doubts aren't cleared.
Apollo assures him that he can prove it, and though Kristoph is still scornful, Klaiver is reassured. He promises to trust Apollo.
The Judge asks for proof connecting Kristoph to the murders. Apollo presents the yellow envelope. Kristoph objects immediately, unlike 4-1 holding nothing back. He admits that Apollo can't possibly have the real letter, because he already CAUGHT Phoenix trying to slip it out of his room. It must be a fake.
Apollo agrees - this is not the letter from Kristoph's room (though Kristoph just admitted such a letter exists). He tells the court that when Phoenix visited Kristoph's cell, he was wearing a spy camera in the pin on his hat. Though he wasn't able to get the letter itself, he recorded its presence among Kristoph's things, and even took a picture of its contents, and of Ema's solution indicating the presence of poison on its stamp. The letter Apollo has now is a reproduction of that letter.
Kristoph loses his temper, and insists to the Judge that such evidence is in no way admissible in a court of law. Klaiver watches silently. But the Judge agrees - the evidence is not admissible. And since Apollo has no other evidence to present, he's about to pronounce a verdict.
Klaiver finally interrupts them. "Now I know what the audience must feel like at the end of the show, when they're calling for an encore," he says. Something has been bothering him thBloom past seven years, and now he knows why.
Kristoph growls at him to stay quiet. He's clearly upset - he wouldn't want to say anything he'd regret. Apollo quickly pounces to add his own advice: "Don't forget what's most important to you!" But Klaiver assures that he hasn't. Despite Kristoph demanding that he stop, Klaiver addresses the court: the night before Zach's trial, it was Kristoph himself that warned the prosecution Phoenix would be presenting fake evidence in court. Kristoph knew about the forgery long before anyone else.
In a brief flashback, Kristoph approaches his brother the night before the trial. Though they should have been fighting each other in court the next morning, Kristoph admits he didn't want to have to fight his own brother in his first trial. Instead, he would give Klaiver some information: Phoenix Wright would be presenting false evidence. If Klaiver were to contact a certain witness ahead of time, he would be able to catch him.
On the stand, Kristoph regains his composure. He tells Klaiver that he's deeply disappointed in him, but he might as well talk. He was supposed to be Zach's lawyer, but before accepting him, Zach made him play a game of poker with him. He lost, and Zach refused him as council, choosing instead to pick Phoenix Wright. He was outraged - how could Zach fire him in favor of Phoenix, a second rate lawyer? Over a poker game, of all things! He declares, "Only death is befitting of such a man."
Apollo asks if that counts as a confession, but Kristoph is quick to correct. He still refuses to admit anything. He's only testifying that he doesn't forgive those who have wronged him. He is perfect.
Klaiver laughs at him from the prosecution bench. "Perfect? Don't lie to yourself. You've been afraid all thBloom years!"
Apollo takes up the fight. He says that Kristoph's failure to kill Lily and Arthur seven years ago drove him to keep all the related parties under strict attention. Lian, Arthur - all of them felt his watchful eye. And when Zach finally reappeared, Kristoph killed him, too!
Apollo glances to Trucy. Though Phoenix told him everything the night before, Trucy probably didn't know that her father had been alive until a few months ago. But Trucy isn't phased. She brushes off Apollo's concern and says they'll talk about it later.
Apollo continues to outline his view of how the crime was committed. Kristoph wanted to win a big case, and that's why he tried to become Zach's lawyer. He hired Lily to create the evidence he would need in court to win. To make sure that Lily wouldn't be left behind to talk, he sent her the poisoned stamp with the message of his payment, and also left with her the poisoned nail polish. But then Zach refused him, so instead he passed off the faulty evidence to Phoenix, and warned Klaiver of it ahead of time. All to ruin Phoenix and Zach, and at the same time eliminate anyone else who might have proved it.
Kristoph is unmoved. He calmly asks if he can go back to prison now, since this is a waste of his time. When he looks to his brother, Klaiver admits that he has no evidence connecting Kristoph to the murders.
Apollo objects. Kristoph killed Zach - the only possible motive would be to shut him up. Kristoph objects himself, reminding that he killed Kagerou, not "Zach." To him, they were different people. And he has no reason to testify as to why he would want to do that, because this isn't his trial anyway. He didn't kill Arthur. He didn't try to kill Lily - it was Klaiver and Apollo bullying Lily that made her bite her nails and ingest the poison. If she dies, they're the ones responsible.
The Judge has to admit that they've gotten very far off track. This is still Lily's trial, after all. It's just about time to end it. Kristoph gloats over his apparent victory. After all, neither side has any decisive evidence that Lily is innocent.
Klaiver stops him. Sure, decisive evidence used to be necessary...but not now. Now, the Jury will decide. Six average citizens will view all the evidence, and decide themselves what the outcome should be. "Decisive" evidence isn't needed at all.
Kristoph is outraged - what can a group of simple-minded pathetic fools do? It's the LAW that matters, it's EVIDENCE that should decide, not some lazy, inferior "jurors."
Once he's finished his tirade, Klaiver reminds him...the jurors he just insulted are watching them, right now. They have been all along, through a closed circuit video camera at the back of the courtroom.
Apollo adds his own salt to the wound: "This was all Mr. Wright's idea, by the way."
Kristoph completely loses his shit. He screams and breaks down utterly, ranting that he doesn't accept such a system. Only the law is absolute, not pathetic laymen dirtying his perfect logic. But the Judge says that it's not the evidence that's necessarily important, it's the truth, and how we come to it. Klaiver taunts his brother, saying that his kind is no longer needed in the new justice system.
Apollo, meanwhile, takes his turn at being speechless.
Kristoph is hauled off, and the Judge turns to you. All that's left is for the jury to decide.
The screen turns to static. Phoenix is back, speaking not to you, the player, after all - he has been speaking to the jury all along. The Mason system IS the Jury System. And now, as jurors, it's time to vote the outcome.
Juror #6 raises a question. In the juror's handbook it says that a juror should not be someone connected to the case. Phoenix tells her not to worry about it and vote for the truth. He gives them a glare: "I'm expecting the right answer."
A hand with a bracelet reaches out, and chooses Not Guilty.
On October 9th, the first ever jury trial of Japan is concluded. As the verdict is read, the crazed laughter of former defense attorney Kristoph Gavin fills the courtroom.
The next day, Apollo and Trucy visit Lily at the Hotti Clinic; she's just woken up after 48 hours of being in a coma. Apollo and Trucy both cry in relief to see she's all right. She draws each of them a picture to thank them for their help. Lily also tells them that she's ready to face up to what she did, and that she dearly hopes that she'll be able to apologize to Phoenix to his face one day.
Trucy, meanwhile, admits that she knew all along her father was still alive somewhere in the world. She was the one that helped him escape seven years ago, after all. And though he's gone now, she's glad that she still has her Papa, Phoenix.
Lily asks if Trucy wouldn't mind bring out Mr. Hat again, which she gladly does.
Meanwhile, Phoenix is back at the office, meeting with someone. Someone who has recently regained all of her memory (the Serenade from case 3 plays in the background). She asks Phoenix if he knew all along who she was, and that's why he chose her to be a part of the jury. Phoenix won't say. Instead, he asks if she intends to tell Apollo and Trucy that their mother, Yvonne, is alive and well as the popular singer, La mirror.
La mirror says that she will, when the time is right. But for now she's overjoyed to see that both of them have grown up so well. Phoenix assures that until she's ready, he'll continue to look out for the both of them. They've become his reason for living.
Phoenix then asks if she'll ever reveal the full secrets of the Merlin family and their mysterious bracelets. La mirror hesitates to answer. For now, she's just happy to be alive.
The credits roll, and thus ends Apollo's first adventure.