*SPOILERS* Shih-na ~ Whats the story?

[zachariah Von-Karma]

Okay, this has probably been done and discussed before, but who else wonders about Shih-na/ Calisto Yew's past? In the game She displays a calm and collected facade, but how much of it is real, and how did she become involved in the smuggling ring, and why? there are too many mysteries surrounding her (which was most likely intended) But i think that an exploration into her past would be interesting and also a great character developer (after all Shih-na has a large growing fan-base).

The seeds of intrigue for me arose when she said that she "Was born to betray everyone from the start" which made it sound like she had a rough childhood which could have lead her to the smuggling ring. This could be supported by her cold and callous (no pun intended) demeanor and the sympathetic/thankful remark she makes to Lang after he took Badd's bullet for her. This could be as a result of finally having someone who trusted and looked out for her even after she revealed her true personality.

But thats just my opinion, what do you guys think about Shih-na's past and motivations?

[Pierre]

One day the seven Seers of Azaroth joined on the peaks of Mount Fatal to proclaim the birth of the evillest woman in the world. 1000 years later that woman was born under the name Calisto Yew and the world let out an awful cry in agony under the weight of evil that was now on it.

[zachariah Von-Karma]

Its revealed that Calisto Yew was a false name that she used to be able to keep surveilence on those involved.

[Pierre]

Its revealed that Calisto Yew was a false name that she used to be able to keep surveilence on those involved.

How can you be sure?

In the Seers' prophecy they described a vile woman who spoke in lies and deceit and trickery who was the greatest evil the truth-finder would ever encounter though he may not realise it.

[Fantasmically]

Its revealed that Calisto Yew was a false name that she used to be able to keep surveilence on those involved.

Actually, for that matter, how the hell can we even be sure of what she really looks like? She could be just layering one disguise on top of another like some sort of hellish Scooby Doo villain.

[CalistoYew]

Its revealed that Calisto Yew was a false name that she used to be able to keep surveilence on those involved.

How can you be sure?

In the Seers' prophecy they described a vile woman who spoke in lies and deceit and trickery who was the greatest evil the truth-finder would ever encounter though he may not realise it.

Guess both Calisto Yew and Shih-na are false names, as well as her both appeareances. She's not sister of Cece Yew, is she? Is she really black-haired? Does she really have freckles? All we know about her is that she laughs often.

I don't know why, but I love such evil female characters like her and Dahlia.

[Phoenix123]

Like what zachariah Von-Karma said, she could have had a rough childhood. There are many possibilities on how she'd joined the ring. To be honest, I thought she had reasons like power, money or it could have been that she wasn't stable. :yuusaku:

[P.B. Crudstache]

Crack theory: Has anyone thought about her laugh? I think she might have inherited it from ? She probably went insane after constant laughs and joined the smuggling ring, with the laugh. Moe did mention a daughter, for those who forgot.

Real theory: Moe had some connections to the smuggling ring hidden beneath his annoying clown facade, and his daughter became a member like her father.

[Millini]

She's a robot.

*topic*

[zachariah Von-Karma]

Crack theory: Has anyone thought about her laugh? I think she might have inherited it from ? She probably went insane after constant laughs and joined the smuggling ring, with the laugh. Moe did mention a daughter, for those who forgot.

Real theory: Moe had some connections to the smuggling ring hidden beneath his annoying clown facade, and his daughter became a member like her father.

Wow, i'm impressed i had forotten about Moe's laugh and he does mention a daughter. That is actually a good theory, but i have to shoot at it by saying that the flashback case is before the events off T&T'S flashback cases meaning ,looking at the timelines, Moe's daughter probably would not have been born. As i recall he says his daughter in JFA was only young but like Regina in her teens (Aprx about my age 17 i think)

[P.B. Crudstache]

Crack theory: Has anyone thought about her laugh? I think she might have inherited it from ? She probably went insane after constant laughs and joined the smuggling ring, with the laugh. Moe did mention a daughter, for those who forgot.

Real theory: Moe had some connections to the smuggling ring hidden beneath his annoying clown facade, and his daughter became a member like her father.

Wow, i'm impressed i had forotten about Moe's laugh and he does mention a daughter. That is actually a good theory, but i have to shoot at it by saying that the flashback case is before the events off T&T'S flashback cases meaning ,looking at the timelines, Moe's daughter probably would not have been born. As i recall he says his daughter in JFA was only young but like Regina in her teens (Aprx about my age 17 i think)

AAI is said to take place between Trials and Tribulations and Justice for All, so my theory is still plausible! Also, has anyone else considered a possible relation to Luke Atmey? (again, insane laugh, a corrupt official posing as if they were out for justice.)

[Yellow Magician]

Calisto Yew seemed like the type of person to join a smuggling ring for the hell of it.

Speaking of her true identity, what about Cece Yew? Did she actually have a sister called Calisto? (This might have been mentioned in the game but it's been a while since I've played AAI. Too long.)

[KingRaptor]

Speaking of her true identity, what about Cece Yew? Did she actually have a sister called Calisto?

At the end of AAI, Badd says: "Cece Yew...never had a sister." Which suggests that either the ring was somehow able to falsify Cece's background records, or the police were too dumb to even check. (This is, after all, the AA universe.)

[Yellow Magician]

I'd feel better thinking it was the former. ;(

[IHATECLOUD]

Is there any point in speculating about Yew/Shih-na? I mean, I think it's pretty cool how mysterious she is and what little info we have about her. She's one of my favorite Ace Attorney characters, right up there with Godot and Kristoph. All these characters pretty much have the same thing in common: we don't know much about them. Well, we do know a lot more about Godot than we do Kristoph or Ms. I Have A Million Aliases, but still, he's very mysterious in the beginning to the player.

Spoiler:

For example, we never did figure out what the 5 Black Psyche Locks Kristoph had at the end of 4-4 were. :uramidn:

I also agree with whoever said that Calisto Yew would be the type of person to join a smuggling ring just for the hell of it. She gives off that "let's fuck up everybody's situation for the lolz" vibe.

[zachariah Von-Karma]

Crack theory: Has anyone thought about her laugh? I think she might have inherited it from ? She probably went insane after constant laughs and joined the smuggling ring, with the laugh. Moe did mention a daughter, for those who forgot.

Real theory: Moe had some connections to the smuggling ring hidden beneath his annoying clown facade, and his daughter became a member like her father.

Wow, i'm impressed i had forotten about Moe's laugh and he does mention a daughter. That is actually a good theory, but i have to shoot at it by saying that the flashback case is before the events off T&T'S flashback cases meaning ,looking at the timelines, Moe's daughter probably would not have been born. As i recall he says his daughter in JFA was only young but like Regina in her teens (Aprx about my age 17 i think)

AAI is said to take place between Trials and Tribulations and Justice for All, so my theory is still plausible! Also, has anyone else considered a possible relation to Luke Atmey? (again, insane laugh, a corrupt official posing as if they were out for justice.)

That may be so, But AAI-4 takes place chronologiacally before T&T-4 meaning she was already a grown adult before Mia had her first court appearence (a month before to be precise) so My arguement is still valid.

[P.B. Crudstache]

Wow, i'm impressed i had forotten about Moe's laugh and he does mention a daughter. That is actually a good theory, but i have to shoot at it by saying that the flashback case is before the events off T&T'S flashback cases meaning ,looking at the timelines, Moe's daughter probably would not have been born. As i recall he says his daughter in JFA was only young but like Regina in her teens (Aprx about my age 17 i think)

AAI is said to take place between Trials and Tribulations and Justice for All, so my theory is still plausible! Also, has anyone else considered a possible relation to Luke Atmey? (again, insane laugh, a corrupt official posing as if they were out for justice.)[/quote]

That may be so, But AAI-4 takes place chronologiacally before T&T-4 meaning she was already a grown adult before Mia had her first court appearence (a month before to be precise) so My arguement is still valid.[/quote]

Aha! But you still haven't disproved the fact that she may be related to Luke Atmey! Calisto Yew isn't her real name, and Shih-Na may not be either, who's to say her real last name isn't Atmey?!

[zachariah Von-Karma]

Aha! But you still haven't disproved the fact that she may be related to Luke Atmey! Calisto Yew isn't her real name, and Shih-Na may not be either, who's to say her real last name isn't Atmey?! [/quote]

In regerds to that claim i have no objections. She could easily have a relation to Luke Atmey, i mean she has the laugh, as well as the arrogant smile and dismissive attitude. The only qualms i have would be the cause of the laugh. as atmey would laugh as an act of desperation, where yew/shih-na laughed when anyone was serious. but other than that i havent got no problems with it.

My objection was to the whole possibility of it being their Daughters, as in the timelines it would not have been possible.

[P.B. Crudstache]

True, but her breakdown with the insane laugh further proves my theory possible.

[zachariah Von-Karma]

True, but her breakdown with the insane laugh further proves my theory possible.

While you may think that its unlikely for a few reasons. Atmey's laugh is his breakdown, by saying thats what relates the two is absurd. By saying that your also saying there is the possibility of her being related to Gant, Kristoph or just about anyone who laughs. Plus Yew laughs naturally throughout the course of her appearence, even doing the second level of hysterics casually, only doing her final insane laugh at the start of the end in AAI after being beaten. (This could also have been because of her having to keep her true nature, I.E. the laugh, hidden while posing as Lang's assisstant Shih-na for a number of years.

But here is my solid evidence: (i draw your attention the highlighted areas)

1984 Sal Manella, Luke Atmey and Plum Kitaki born
1985 Diego Armando and Angel Starr born
1986 Detective Gumshoe, Ben, Lamiroir, and Thalassa Gramarye born
1987 Terry Fawles, Lana Skye and Manny Coachen born
1988 Dustin Prince born.
1989 Mia Fey, Jacques Portsman, Buddy Faith, Calisto Yew and Ka-Shi Nou born

This shows that there was only 5 years between the two being born meaning that any theories that they are Father-Daughter are false and impossible.

The arguement that they are related at all is also highly unlikely. I can say this safely because, during the investigation in T&T, Atmey says he is an only child. Also, i can prove Atmey had no connection to the Smuggling ring as he keeps all the profits from his hiests to himself, as well as the fact that if the two were related, Atmey would most likely have known about the smuggling ring and been a part of it due to his "sisters" position, but he clearly has no connections to either the Alba ring, Cadaverini outfit or Kitaki syndicate.
(try to disprove that.)

Another nail in the coffin is when Badd says in AAI-5, Ka-shi-Nou (born same year as Yew) was only immitating mask*demasque, who had given up the game only a few months back. Proving that AAI case 5 takes place after the events off T&T, meaning that Mask*deMasque was only present before the Yatagarasu re-appeared. On a related notewe can also see that there is no connection between aliases as both of their M.O's are completly the opposite. The Yatagarasu was a vigilante made up of 3 people with the costumed persona only being a figment of the media, whereas Mask*deMasque was a known costumed thief not a vigilante, Yatagarasu revealed secrets whereas deMasque horded greed, and as stated by Badd, the yatagarasu never announced his appearance until after the hiest, mirroring deMasques announcement before the hiests. This proves without a shadow of a doubt that the two are not connected in any way.

The final nail in this is the blatantly obvious fact that if there was any connection to yew or the ring, the prosecutor at Atmey's trial would have been Portsman, not edgeworth or Payne , and upon losing he would have been assassinated for failing and being a risk to Alba and Yew, in a style similar to how Portsman feared.

That is my arguement, now try and find evidence to refute this, and be sensible. (please, i enjoy this type of arguement :garyuu: )

[P.B. Crudstache]

Long post, read it if you dare.

Spoiler: AAI, T&T

Okay, let's review. Both are corrupt public officials with snarky grins on their faces. You say they can't be father-daughter or brother-sister, but how about cousins? Also, you've proven he couldn't be a smuggler, but what makes you think he couldn't have worked for the Cadaverinis or Kitakis at some point during his career, maybe even before Mask De Masque? Another point is I never stated the Yatagarasu and Mask De Masque were connected, just "Yew" and Atmey. Also, following the point that I never stated connection to the smuggling ring, who says Godot or Franziska weren't the prosecutor for his trial? Remember, Edgeworth returned in Case 5 of T&T, meaning he wasn't around during the events of Case 2. Payne had prosecuted the trial for him being Mask De Masque already. And Portsman could have prosecuted the trial, as he had to take cases unrelated to the smuggling ring, otherwise, he might lose his job. I have come up with a scenario for if Atmey were in the smuggling ring. Why would they try to get him guilty if he were one of their members? I think it's more likely for Yew to have shown up in court to defend him, as she was a defense attorney. And yes, I know Atmey's trial was after she was implicated for the murder of Byrne and Rell.

By the way, part about Atmey in smuggling ring is just a what-if scenario.

[Little_Thief]

AAI is said to take place between Trials and Tribulations and Justice for All, so my theory is still plausible! Also, has anyone else considered a possible relation to Luke Atmey? (again, insane laugh, a corrupt official posing as if they were out for justice.)

Slight correction there, Detective. AAI takes place in-between Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice, not Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations.

Spoiler: Case 4-4

To be precise, it takes place one month before the State v. Enigmar trial where Phoenix lost his badge.

Also, I have at least one theory involving Shih-na:

Spoiler: AAI Case 5

When I first beat AAI, I had no sympathy for Calisto Yew/Shih-na. But after taking a closer look at what transpired when she was finally brought down, I noticed three key details.

A. She did not enjoy killing Byrne Faraday.

B. She practically threw Edgeworth a bone by saying she didn't kill anyone as well as giving Kay the hair sticks.

C. Kay said she sort of stared into Shih-na's soul, and saw that she was lonely.

Maybe it's because I have a weird mind, but those three facts sort of made me compare her to Advocat from GrimGrimoire. Is she a good guy? No, because the Nuremberg Defense does not forgive the fact that she laughed her way through all of the misdeeds she committed over the years and treated everything pretty much like a joke (and no, her laughing being a coping mechanism isn't an excuse either, because you have to take into account what she said after she laughed). But is she a bad guy? Not really. Even if the Nuremberg Defense doesn't protect her, she was still acting under orders, and it's not like she enjoyed every mission (see point a above). All in all, I believe she's something in-between. She may be villainous, but there is some good in her. You just have to know where to look.

[P.B. Crudstache]

AAI is said to take place between Trials and Tribulations and Justice for All, so my theory is still plausible! Also, has anyone else considered a possible relation to Luke Atmey? (again, insane laugh, a corrupt official posing as if they were out for justice.)

Slight correction there, Detective. AAI takes place in-between Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice, not Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations.

Spoiler: Case 4-4

To be precise, it takes place one month before the State v. Enigmar trial where Phoenix lost his badge.

Curses, foiled again!

[zachariah Von-Karma]

AAI is said to take place between Trials and Tribulations and Justice for All, so my theory is still plausible! Also, has anyone else considered a possible relation to Luke Atmey? (again, insane laugh, a corrupt official posing as if they were out for justice.)

Slight correction there, Detective. AAI takes place in-between Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice, not Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations.

Spoiler: Case 4-4

To be precise, it takes place one month before the State v. Enigmar trial where Phoenix lost his badge.

Curses, foiled again!

Thank you for that. now do you see the flaw in your logic?
Your arguement was very good and your evidence to back it up was exceptional. Buuuuuuuuuuuut, "only one truth prevails!"
but i enjoyed this tete-a-tete greatly. we must have another sometime.
Also thank you Little_Thief for your much appreciated support, and interesting theory

[P.B. Crudstache]

Slight correction there, Detective. AAI takes place in-between Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice, not Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations.

Spoiler: Case 4-4

To be precise, it takes place one month before the State v. Enigmar trial where Phoenix lost his badge.

Curses, foiled again!

Thank you for that. now do you see the flaw in your logic?
Your arguement was very good and your evidence to back it up was exceptional. Buuuuuuuuuuuut, "only one truth prevails!"
but i enjoyed this tete-a-tete greatly. we must have another sometime.
Also thank you Little_Thief for your much appreciated support, and interesting theory

You still haven't looked at the last post I made, look at it and tell me your thoughts.

[zachariah Von-Karma]

You still haven't looked at the last post I made, look at it and tell me your thoughts.

Oh, no i read your post, and while i agree that the whole connection between yatagarasu and DeMasque was a tangent, i only included it to show that in terms of alternate persona they were complete polar opposites and there could be no connection in that area.

As for the idea of them being cousins, i cannot prove or disprove that entirely as it could be the same situation as Maya/Dahlia, although unlikely.

I doubt that Atmey had any ties to any of the Criminal families as for the same reason as the smuggling ring, if he was sent to jail he might become a liability due to his treacherous personality, meaning they would try to get him exterminated so that he would no longer be able to implicate them. As you stated Yew would not have been able to defend him as she would have been on the run, but in the first demasque trial Godot was the prosecutor, and of what we saw of his second trial Payne was prosecuting meaning that Portsman was not present for either of the trials. You are correct in assuming he might have had another trial to deal with. but even if he wasnt the prosecutor, the ring would have gotten him to plant false evidence or to tamper with the existing evidence since he would have had access to it. As phoenix was able to get him convicted it is safe to assume that no evidence was tampered with and he only false evidence submitted was the security footage that Atmey himself gave in, which was later countered in the defence.
You do propose a good theory, but the fact that they are both corrupt officials with snarky grins is nothing I.E. VonKarma Redd White Kristoph :garyuu: Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

in retrospect, the character with the most likely connection to the smuggling ring who has a snarky grin was Wellington It even said in his trial that he was in close contact with a "group of con artists." who's to say it wasnt a small faction of the larger ring or connected to the Amano conglomerate?

[P.B. Crudstache]

Ah, but remember, Portsman only took cases related to the smuggling ring and lost them on purpose. And I agree that Wellington may have had something to do with them. Also, how about Redd White? Surely he must have known something about them.

[zachariah Von-Karma]

I agree. There are a whole load of ties between the smuggling ring and Mr.Redd White of Bluecorp, for instance:
1. Bluecorp is a company that specialises in "getting information"

2. it was stated more than once that they had control over the police force (maybe seeing as Gant was a corrupt official) As well as ties to the prosecutors office.(allowing him to request portsman to purposely tamper with evidence or lose intentionally.)

3. they often resorted to criminal acts to obtain information such as wiretaps

4. Redd White went so far as to kill a Lawyer just to protect the companies image.