I'm surprised that I couldn't find a thread for this already.
NOTE: Just in case the "(spoiler-filled)" wasn't enough warning - this thread is for discussion involving spoilers, and thus spoiler tags will not be employed. If you do not want to be spoiled regarding the main story, leave now.
I finished the main game for PW:SoJ, today, and there are a few things I felt were worth discussing. Before getting into the real spoilers, though, I thought I'd note something I discovered when I triggered one of the optional dialogues involving Edgeworth (can't remember the exact context, now, but obviously it's in the last case).
It's nothing huge, but it's a throwaway line that actually reveals something significant, in my view. In talking about presenting evidence, Nick makes a reference to Edgeworth doing the same thing in Ace Attorney Investigations (not by name, of course), and Edgeworth asks where he heard about that... and then comments that he believes he knows, and will be further docking the responsible person's pay, or something like that. It's subtle, but a clear reference to Dick Gumshoe, and I have zero doubt that it's intentional, and an indication that Detective Gumshoe is both still employed, and likely to return in the future.
Why am I so confident that he'll return? Well, that's where we come to the main reason I decided to make this thread - this is the MAJOR spoiler, regarding how the game actually ends.
Apollo remains behind in Khura'in to help rebuild the country's legal system, re-establish lawyering, and to help make the way through the massive backlog of cases. It is also indicated that Ema Skye will be working in Khura'in with Nahyuta for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Nick, Maya and Athena (and Trucy and Edgeworth, of course), return to US/Japan, and this is where the story ends...
I believe this is an indication that the series is being split in two, at least temporarily - with the next Apollo Justice title being set in Khura'in, with the Divination Seance system and Apollo's keen observation skill, along with Ema Skye's forensic skills (fingerprinting, luminol, etc). Meanwhile, the next Phoenix Wright title will be in US/Japan, with Magatama locks (whatever they're called, can't remember the name), Trucy's psychology, and Maya's channelling, with Dick Gumshoe returning in his capacity as detective.
Think about it - developers clearly have preferred Apollo's story, yet fans have been clamouring for more of Nick's story, and the return of the Phoenix/Maya pairing. The way the game ended will allow them to leverage both sides effectively, and to further expand the Ace Attorney universe, as now Apollo can get a protege of his own, providing further gameplay variation.
What does everyone think about my theory? Will we be seeing the return of Dick Gumshoe? Will they make a new game for each of the two primary protagonists of the franchise? Or have I misinterpreted the situation?
And meanwhile, is there anything else about the game that people want to discuss?
