1.) This is all conjecture. Slight spoilers for the first three games, but of course all conjecture.

2.) I was bored and started gathering my thoughts.

3.) Still bored, and waiting for the water to heat up for my shower, I decided to post my thoughts and make you suffer through them :P

Right!

I think, more than anything, GS4 will be a "transition" game. Yes, it will very much be Odoroki's story instead of Phoenix & The Gang, but we've had three games to grow attached to the old crew. Unlike GS1 where we could hit the ground running and fill in the backstory later, I think Shuu & Pals are very cognizant of the fact that the fanbase wants to see what happened to, at the very least, the main cast (i.e. the people who've appeared on game covers :P).

Now, thus far, each of the GS games have had their own individual story or theme throughout. (1: DL-6, Phoenix/Edgeworth's past and relationship; 2: Trust, "What It Means To Be A Lawyer,"; 3: Chinami's a bitch!, All Feys, All The Time, The Legend of Mr. Coffee) With the exception of a few minor plot threads (Morgan's usurping, what happened to Misty Fey) there's never been a multi-game storyline. Which makes sense--there will of course be people who play 2 without playing 1, or playing 3 before either of the first two, and this means that while knowing the others produces a richer experience, each game can stand on its own.

So, I highly doubt that they'll drag out the whole "OMG wut happen to Nick" story over more than one game (assuming that, like Phoenix, Odoroki will have a three-game arc :P). MAYBE they'll mostly wrap it up in this game and Odoroki's grand finale in GS6 will tie into it, but it's far more likely that it will just be in GS4, perhaps alluded to in 5 or 6. And as it seems that whatever happened was rather complex (in all likelihood, anyway)... unless they're planning on giving us a much more intricate Tutorial case than in the first three games, there's almost no way to wrap it up with just 4-1.

So yeah, all of that was just building to my first theory: GS4's overarcing "plot" will have something to do with "WTF happened to Phoenix/Everyone," just like GS1 dealt with DL-6.

As for characters that return... well, we're guaranteed to at least find out what happened to the main cast (not necessarily SEE all of them BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE DEAD =O). By main cast, I mean anyone who's appeared in more than two cases (except Lotta, since she can burn in hell!) So, we're going to find out what happened to:

Phoenix (duh)
Edgeworth (also duh)
Maya (duuuh)
Pearls (I'm not gonna bother)
Gumshoe

For sure. Not counting, of course, Payne and the Judge, who we know are back and chillaxin'.

Mia, Chinami, and Godot... well, uh, I can't see either of their plots continuing much, it's doubtful that they'll make any sort of return whatsoever, though it's not out of the question.

I also think it's highly likely that we'll see the return of Larry and Franziska, though that's not 100%. Fran more likely than Larry, IMO.

As for the rest? Well, it's certainly not impossible, but they'd be glorified cameos at best. Likely they'd bring back characters that have appeared in more than one case (WP--especially if there's anything to do with Global Studios, Oldbag [ugh], Lotta [ugh], Grossberg (meh), Hotti [ugh], Adrian (She comes back with fran! >.>), etc etc.)... characters like Dee Vasquez, anyone from Berry Big Circus, Hondobou, Yuusaku/Mareka (sorry Croik!) ... probably not in it at all.

Of course, the exception to the whole "one-case = nope" rule would be any of the 1-5 cast. We'll almost definitely find out about Lana since, uh, Ema's a major character this time around. Gant's probably long gone... and while it's nowhere near definite that we'll run into Meekins/Jake/Angel, they've got a much higher chance than any other one-shot character.


Most of these characters, I think, will return in GS4 so we can find out what happened to them before letting Odoroki come into his own and go on solo (with Minuki, of course) to have more of his own story in GS5 and GS6... but it's not out of the question that they'd save some of the cameos for later games/cases.


As for what happened to Phoenix? Well, to me it seems... there are really two people who Phoenix has built his life around (not to the point of someone like Adrian, but they're incredibly important to him), and that's Maya and Edgeworth. Pearl (and Mia) too, and even Gumshoe a little bit, but Maya and Miles are the big two. I do believe that one (or both) of them is dead (or in a coma or something)... but which? Well, I think if it were Maya, that might be a bit of a rehash, considering how many times we've had to deal with a "Maya's life is on the line!" moment, whether by trial or something else. So that leads me to lean towards Edgeworth... but on the other hand, when he thought Edgeworth had committed suicide, Phoenix still practiced law, just sort of bitterly. And the realization that Maya wouldn't ever really talk to him again was the impetus for "Miracle Never Happen."

More importantly than one of them dying/comafied/whatever, I think it would more importantly... if not be Phoenix's fault, cause him to shake his foundations as a lawyer. Like if there wasn't any evidence to tie the real murderer to the crime, and Phoenix willingly helped the prosecution blatantly forge evidence or something (just pulled that out of my ass, so the likelihood is very low >.>). Or if he lost a case and they were put to death or something. I think many people would agree with me that something along these lines is why he's Piano Man now, but who knows.

I'm going to sort of switch gears here for a bit, though it comes back around in the end, don't worry.

Now, every GS game has had a special super secret fourth case prosecutor: Karma/Edgeworth/Young Edgeworth (technically I guess you could say there was one in 3-5 too for a bit). So, I was wondering... who would the 4/5/6-4 prosecutors be, if we want to keep with tradition? Obviously, they could all just be new characters (and at least one, probably two of them WILL be new characters)... but maybe not. Perhaps Lana Skye, back on the job? Perhaps Miles Edgeworth (assuming he's not dead, of course)? Perhaps this was all an act and Phoenix is really now ACE PROSECUTOR?!!! (okay, probably not). Zombie Manfred von Karma?

With Kirihito, you know something is going to happen. Odoroki can't have his mentor at his side in every case, he needs to start going it alone after the tutorial (with minuki, of course). Since I doubt they'd just blatantly rehash the "lol, mentor gets murdered" bit, something different happens.

I think that it's not out of the question that Garyuu the Elder is EEEEEEEVIL. Or at least tied to "What Happened to Phoenix" in some way. And for some reason, I don't think it all unlikely that Kirihito replaces his younger brother as your final foe in GS4.

However, if it turns out that Garyuu is, in some way, a villain / responsible for what happened to make Phoenix this way, I doubt he'd be the 4-4 prosecutor, because that'd just lead to shades of "lol, another evil prosecutor, HI MANFRED." And, assuming all my conjecture up until this point has been right, and it was something happening to Edgeworth that triggered this... well, the only person other than Phoenix who could say they were legitimately close to Miles Edgeworth would be his sister. Franziska returns to prosecute 4-4! And Garyuu is the villain!

Meh. Or not.

Yeah, uh... that was the incoherent ramblings of my diseased mind. Hope you enjoyed :P Shower time!

---

In The time it took you to write this.. Your shower's water has reached Temperatures beyond human understanding...

Very thought provoking Theorys though O.O

---

I think you overestimate the glacial pace at which our water heater works. It takes about an hour to go from 28 degrees Celsius to 40-45 degrees, which is where it's actually warm enough for me to shower >.>

---

Wow, You just blew my mind with your Theories!

I have a feeling that Larry is going to return as a last minute witness but exactly how I'm not to sure of. I was kinda hoping to see him appear in GS4 Case 1 but I don't think it's going to happen.
.
I have to completely agree with you on these otherwise! I'm personally hoping to see return as the Secret 4th Case! Or Prosecutor Phoenix will have to do!

Quite frankly, that was very, very well put together. Most of it was all things that we've thought of, but you organized it in such a way that it's easier to look over.

Nice job.

---

Oh, and the newly-translated developer blog really reinforces my idea that GS4 will very much be a transition game instead of just Odoroki with Phoenix appearing in the first case. Which is fine by me :D

---

I think that was proven back when they showed Phoenix on the calendar. Since the calendar seems to feature only the main cast, and not anyone else like Payne or other one-shot characters, it's pretty obvious that Phoenix would be more than just a one-shot appearance. His past with Garyuu influences that, as well.

---

...well this proves it MORE >.>

---

Those are some uber-respectable theories there Funk. Kirihito is evil, I'd wager. NO-ONE smiles that much. In his head you ncan hear the "I OWN YOUR ASS, BITCH". He'd probably be the case four prosecutor, a final test kinda thing that he used to be prosecutor and that's why his brother is one.

And I don't think Edgeworth is Kirihito. Edgeworth is an only child isn't he?

---

Did I say he was? I thought that was disproven a loooong time ago.

TECHNICALLY Edgey is an only child though he's got Fran. :P

---

I don't even know how that "Edgeworth is Kirihito!" thing started. What idiot would think that? They don't even look anything alike.

---

Yes yes yes! Garyuu is EEEEEEEEEEEEVIIL. I like that theory, as I don't think I can put myself through the game with a scarily smiling dude to the right of me

---

I believe it was around the time Phoenix was revealed, when theories started flying of his masquerading as a hobo and Edgeworth as a defense attorney. That rumor from "a capcom employee" didn't help matters, either. Any similarities between Kirihito and Edgeworth are purely artistic, since they're designed by the same people and all.

---

Spoilers I guess...

Very interesting theories, and quite sound ones too. There's one thing I would like to comment on though.

Now I'm on board with with the "Garyuu is evil" theory as much as anyone else, but I don't think that the "Garyuu is actually good but gets murdered" idea is completely off the table just because it would be a repeat of what happened with Mia. After all, there would be three major differences between Garyuu's death and Mia's:

Difference 1: Garyuu's brother is a prosecutor who would likely be very angry with the person accused of killing him. Odoroki would naturally end up defending said accused person. We get character development for Odoroki and Kyouya, and we get rid of the mentor. Everyone goes home happy. (Well, except Garyuu.)

Difference 2: As far as we know, spirit channeling will not play a large part in the GS4 story. In other words, unlike Mia, if Garyuu dies, he's gone for good.

Difference 3: Garyuu would have a far more significant backstory than Mia did at the time of her death. Mia didn't get a well-developed backstory until GS3 (from what I've heard, at least; I havn't played GS3 ), but Garyuu will almost certainly have a full backstory which will probably involve Phoenix. Perhaps they worked on a case together and lost, resulting in an innocent person getting the death sentence, or they got a murderer declared not guilty. I can see either of these as a reason for Phoenix to quit law, as well as providing a motive for someone involved to kill Garyuu.

That being said, I think that the "Garyuu is evil" theory to be more likely, but I think people are dismissing the "Garyuu is actually good but gets murdered" idea a bit too quickly.

---

Points, Greg, and it's not out of the question. I just don't know how likely it is.

I actually had a dream last night where 4-4... was the defendant and the victim (;_; ) Kirihito ended up being the actual guilty party. Franziska had been investigating 's murder at Garyuu's hands a few years back, and she was getting too close, so he tried to kill her--but she wasn't home, and Adrian was (they were living together >.>). And Lana was the prosecutor, and Gumshoe and Phoenix helped Odoroki investigate.

It was a pretty awesome case in my dream, actually, if not for the whole "NOOOOOOO ADRIAN ;_;" factor. But if I end up being right, uh, I'm psychic.

---

I really don't think that they'd have Garyuu getting murdered for the 2nd case. Since that's when Kyouya is going to be introduced, that's when we're going to get our first impression of his personality. He's supposed to be very laid-back and cool, but if his introductory case revolves around the murder of his brother, then:

1.) He'd be much more emotional than usual, giving a false first impression of his personality, or

2.) If he was as cool and laid-back as usual, then he'd also be showing near-total apathy for the murder of his brother. Which is possible, I suppose, but I don't think it's very likely.

But I'd rather not see Garyuu being evil, either. One idea I had was that in case 4-4, you'd actually end up defending Garyuu, with Kyouya prosecuting. Of course, that doesn't explain the disappearance of Garyuu from cases 2 and 3... Maybe he went to Moscow. Because the Russian food is better in Russia.

---

Okay.
I really DON'T think Kirihito is evil.
Why do I think this?
I think of Saiyuki when I think of Kirihito; Hakkai smiles almost CONSTANTLY, and....do people perceive him to be evil? No.

However, behind that facade he is sly and clever, and he does have a [controlled] rage....

There are plenty of other characters who smile and smile, but are not perceived as "omgee, he's a villain. he killed someone. lololololololol plotbunny lol"

What I'm saying is, don't judge a book by its cover. There IS something more to Kirihito, but I'm sure Capcom's got some tricks up their sleeves.

---

I never said that you said he was. I was just using it as a random musing, sorry if it sounded antagonistic.

poor Kiri. Under so much fire. You're not evil you're just jolly.

---

He's creeeepy. >.>

---

Nuuuuh.
I think he's an interesting character. :3
Even if he turns out to be "evil" or....something, I'll still like him. ♥

---

Oh, and since it seems to be a trend that there's an item introduced in the first case that comes into play later in the story (The Thinker, uh... hm... maybe Phoenix's cell phone? >.> Or the Judge dream? Okay, not so obvious in JFA... and the Amulet)... I doubt there will be an investigation phase in 4-1, but we've seen screenshots of what look like investigating the murder room. So possibly the "item" that returns is the restaurant where Nick works at?

Possibly a second murder takes place there, or something. I dunno. There's GOING to be a moment where you can present Phoenix's profile to, say, Ema so he has to show up in another case :P

---

My thoughts on the matter...

Phoenix is obviously hiding SOMETHING. He's acting way too chill and way too aloof for somenoe on the stand for murder. And his 'testing' of Odoroki can't account for ALL of that, I feel. Something deeper's going on here.

It's my opinion that while something did happen, it wasn't necessarily linked to a failed case or the death of either Maya or Edgeworth. And while I don't think he's gone super-spy hobo on us, there's something that gives me the feeling that his piano man/poker genius thing is a bit of a front. He's investigating SOMETHING. The fact that he works at a bar with a shady past makes me wonder. Looking for some kind of underworld connection?

Kirihito, I feel, is a 'replacement', someone Phoenix groomed to keep up the practice in his stead while he went off secret-hoboing. Just what the whole real issue is...though....that, I feel, will be the subject of the final case of the game. Somehow, Kirihito will be involved, and not in a good way.

As for the other old characters...I have a feeling Edgey and Maya will factor in somehow. Edgey maybe helped mentor Kirihito after Phoenix couldn't do it, and ends up a witness in a later case. Maya....hrm...haven't thought of a good way to factor her in without her being a victim of some sort.

Finally, for Kyouya, I do hope his band ends up the subject of a case too. Perhaps one of them ends up accused of a murder and he begrudgingly (though that's not apparent at first) prosecutes him, forcing some kind of conflict of interests in him. Possibly enough that he drops out of prosecuting temporarily, paving the way for our final guest prosecutor.

---

Those are actually some really cool ideas. Doesn't payne say something along the lines of "better than a defense attorney who doesn't stand in court" in the demo? Which may be implying that he hasn't quit being an attorney, he still is--he just doesn't practice anymore.

And that's a good idea to have Kyouya not prosecute case 4 that I'd not thought of.

---

Or, simply put, he can't prosecute due to conflict of interest.

Personally, I think that if Kirihito is the 4-4 prosecutor... he won't be the murderer. Something will have happened to Kyouya, and he'll ask Kirihito to step in his place. Something like that, anyway.

---

I also agree, if for the simple rule that I doubt they'd pull ANOTHER "holy crap, final case prosecutor IS REALLY THE MURDERER?!"

---

They did it twice already, so they might do it again a la "All things come in threes". :/

---

I think I heard a very vague rumor (possibly unfounded. Actually wasn't it on the site before the "Kirihito is Edgeworth" theory was disproven?) somewhere that Phoenix gave up being a lawyer and became piano/poker man in order to investigate something that Minuki was linked to in some way. So I always imagined that he was just undercover doing his own personal investigation...

---

I doubt Kirihito will be the prosecutor in the last case (By the way, do we know how many cases there will be?). I'm fairly certain that he's doomed. Either he turns out to be evil and Odoroki proves it, or he'll be murdered (likely in the last case). In either case, this is a MAJOR opportunity for character development if Kyouya is the prosecutor that I don't think they'd pass up. After all, if Odoroki is about to prove that Kirihito is a killer, Kyouya will meet a serious dilemma: Does he help his brother or follow justice? On the other hand, if Kirihito is murdered, Kyouya will take extra effort to make sure his brother's killer sees justice, and Odoroki (obviously) ends up defending the person accused of the murder.

---

It's...

CRAZY BILL THEORY TIME!

The mystery prosecutor of GS4. C4 is...

Edgeworth.

Now, this is all just a crazy theory, but Case 1's assitant is only that assitant. Wrighto possibly was dis-barred or something like that. He's been depressed since then and seeing a rookie win in a case inspired him. He can no longer practice law, but he helps Odoroki. In the final case, however, he gets killed. Edgeworth, who just hasn't been interested in any other GS4 cases, takes a high interest in this one, and prosecutes whoever maybe the other prosecutor, the rock star. Crazy, I know, and it might be proven wrong, but it's JUST A THEORY.

And another possible reason for Wright quitting?

I also think its possible someone he cared for died, coma'd, ect... But! It's Chinami's sis, Aymine (SP, probably) For some reason, the end of GS3 Case five, as seen from the case description, made me think Wright and Aymine got together.

And this concludes...BILL CRAZY THOERY TIME!