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When a popular action show
villain is murdered at the production studio, the show's star Will Powers
becomes the prime suspect. With Maya's help Phoenix uncovers a long
history of cover-ups and extortion.
(Contributed by
Reborn From The Ashes)
Date: October 16th
through 10th, 2016
Defense Attorney: Phoenix Wright
Prosecutor: Miles Edgeworth
Defendant: Will Powers
Victim: Jack Hammer
COD: Stabbed in the chest
MW: A metal fence
Guilty: Dee Vasquez
Accomplice: Sal Manella
The Case starts with
Phoenix entering the Office just as an episode of the Steel Samurai
finishes. Maya briefly explains about the show and how popular it is
with kids.
Day 1
The next morning, Phoenix is woken up by a call from Maya. She tells
Phoenix that the Steel Samurai has killed a villain from the show...in
real life. Maya asks Phoenix to come to the Office as soon as
possible.
Phoenix arrives at the Office in time to hear a news report about the
arrest of Steel Samurai actor Will Powers for the murder of Jack Hammer.
Suddenly the phone rings. Maya takes the call. It's from the
Steel Samurai himself, requesting Phoenix's services as his lawyer.
Maya insists that they head down to the Detention Centre to take their
first case together.
Phoenix and Maya meet Will Powers, Maya initially disappointed in Will's
appearance. He tells Phoenix that he went into Global Studios to go
through some action scenes with Hammer at 10am. They worked until
noon, when they stopped for lunch. After lunch, Will felt sleepy,
and went to his dressing room for a nap, and didn't wake up until after 5
pm when a rehearsal was scheduled. He rushed over to Studio One,
where Hammer's body had already been discovered, and was arrested.
When Phoenix and Maya arrive at Global Studios, they are confronted by
Wendy Oldbag, an elderly security guard. Once Oldbag stops whining,
she tells Phoenix that she is sure that Will is guilty, as it is
impossible to get to Studio One from the Employee Area - where the morning
run through was held - without passing her guard station, and Will was the
only person who walked by. Oldbag also reveals that there was an
accident five years ago, which precipitated the fall of Hammer's fame.
At the entrance to Studio One, Phoenix and Maya find Gumshoe.
Gumshoe tells Phoenix that Hammer went to Studio One at around 1:00pm, and
was killed around 2:30pm. The only person who went to the Studio between
1:00 and 2:30 was Will. Gumshoe points out a camera mounted on a
gate, which snaps a photo of anyone who passes by.
Heading to to the Employee area, Phoenix finds Powers' keycard in his
briefcase, allowing Phoenix and Maya to enter Studio One, where they meet
Penny Nichols, an assistant at Global Studios. Penny confirms that
Powers went into his dressing room after lunch, but since she didn't see
him after that, there's still no way to confirm Powers' alibi. She
also mentions that she sensed “another presence” at the Studio that day.
With no other leads, Phoenix and Maya decide to question Oldbag about the
possibility of someone else passing though the Guard Station. Oldbag is
furious that Penny “challenged” her work as a security guard, and storms
off in a tantrum. Phoenix uses the time to check out the photo data
from the day of murder, and prints out a photo of the Steel Samurai.
Interestingly, the words “Photo #2” are printed on the back of the photo.
Phoenix checks the computer, but that is the only photo from the day of
the murder.
Day 2.
The Trial starts with Edgeworth calling Gumshoe to the stand. He
summarizes the events of the murder. Three people were present at
the run through in the morning: Will Powers, Jack Hammer and Penny
Nichols. After lunch, Hammer went straight to Studio One. At
1:00pm, Oldbag arrived at the guard station. Hammer's body was found
at 5:00 pm, when the cast arrived at Studio One for a rehearsal, with the
Samurai Spear stuck into his chest.
Wendy Oldbag is called to the Witness Stand, and immediately falls in love
with Edgeworth, much to his dismay. When she finally shuts up, she
testifies that she was at the guard station from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. At
2:00 pm, she saw Powers heading towards the Studio. Phoenix objects,
showing the Photo of the Steel Samurai to the Court. Oldbag then testifies
that the man in the photo could only be Powers, since he had an accident
in the morning run through, spraining his ankle, and breaking the Samurai
Spear. Since the person in the photo is clearly dragging their foot, it
could only be Powers in that costume. She also claims that the Steel
Samurai was the only person who passed her. Phoenix points out that there
were two photos from the day of the murder. Oldbag admits that she
threw out another photo, but tells the court that photo just showed a
young Steel Samurai fanboy. Since he's only about seven years old, there's
no way he could have used the Samurai Spear.
With no other suspects apart from Powers, Phoenix decides to play for more
time, and accuses Oldbag of the murder. Edgeworth is unable (or just
doesn't want) to come up with any contradictions to Phoenix's theory, so
the Judge adjourns the trial for the day.
Oldbag protests, and reveals that there were other people at the Studio
that day. Namely, the Producer and the Director, who were in a meeting
with some company bigwigs in Studio Two.
The Judge ends the day's proceedings. Phoenix and Maya return to Global
Studios for information on the Producer and the Director. In Powers'
dressing room they meet Sal Manella, the “l33t” director. Sal takes a
liking to Maya, and is inspired to create a new show “The Pink Princess”,
sequel to the Steel Samurai.
Outside in the Employee Area, Phoenix encounters the Cody the “fanboy” who
passed by the guard station on the day of the murder. Cody tells Phoenix
that he saw “everything”, and runs off, bumping into a table, knocking a
small bottle of sleeping tablets to the floor.
Phoenix checks out Studio Two. It's set up as a film set with a
trailer. Phoenix also notices a van, and a very sharp fence.
In the Studio Two trailer, Phoenix and Maya meet Dee Vasquez, the
Producer. She isn't the most helpful person, but she takes Phoenix outside
to the broken Studio Mascot, Mr. Monkey. On the day of Hammer's death, the
head fell over at 2:15 pm, blocking the path to Studio Two, and trapping
everyone in the trailer until 4:00 pm.
Dejected, Phoenix returns to his office, where Mia shows up. They return
to Global Studios, and eventually find Cody in Powers' dressing room. For
some completely “unfathomable” reason, Cody decides to cooperate upon
seeing Mia, and gives her a copy of his Steel Samurai fan album, “The Path
to Glory”. He tells Phoenix that he saw the Steel Samurai kill the bad
guy. Mia suggests that it would be better if Cody weren't called as a
witness, but Gumshoe enters, having overheard the whole conversation, and
takes Cody to the Police station. With Maya's powers still weak, Mia has
to leave, but before she does, she asks Phoenix if he truly believes in
Powers' innocence.
Day 3.
The trial resumes, and Sal is called as a witness. He testifies that he
went to the meeting in the afternoon, skipping lunch to do so. Phoenix
presses, and Sal admits that he did take a fifteen minute break, from
around 2:30 to 2:45 pm. However with the fallen Monkey head blocking the
way, there's no way anyone in the trailer could have committed the murder.
Cody is next on the stand. He's defiant at first, but becomes slightly
more helpful after Mia asks him to cooperate. His testimony is very vague,
and after Phoenix presses him, it's revealed that Cody didn't actually see
the killing blow, as Cody was too busy trying to get his new digital
camera to take a photo. Phoenix realizes that there's no way Cody wouldn't
take a photo of the Steel Samurai standing victorious over a fight, which
could mean only one thing: The Steel Samurai lost the fight. Phoenix
presents this theory to the Court, and Cody breaks down in tears and
admits that Phoenix is right.
Phoenix expands on his theory: Jack Hammer dressed up as the Steel
Samurai. He was present during the morning run through, and so knew about
Powers' injury. Even though Hammer apparently went to Studio One after
lunch, no one saw him going to the Studio, nor was there a photo of him.
Instead Hammer waited until Powers had fallen asleep, then snuck into
Powers' dressing room where he stole the Steel Samurai costume.
Cody admits that he left one photo on his camera, and Phoenix realizes
that the photo shows the Steel Samurai in Studio Two. The murder really
took place in Studio Two, meaning that only Vasquez or Sal could have done
it.
The Judge decides to suspend the trial for the second day. He tells
Phoenix to investigate why Hammer stole the costume, and find out who
really killed him, before telling Edgeworth to reconsider his suspicion of
Powers.
Phoenix and Maya head back to the Studio, where they run into Gumshoe, who
tests Will's lunch plate for traces of sleeping tablets. The results come
up positive.
In Powers dressing room, Phoenix finds Penny, who mentions a fatal
accident that occurred at the Studio five years ago, and tells Phoenix to
ask Oldbag for the details.
Phoenix confronts Oldbag. At first she refuses to talk, but after Phoenix
shows her the evidence that Hammer drugged Powers, she gives in. She tells
Phoenix that five years ago, Hammer accidentally killed a fellow actor
during a fight scene at the trailer in Studio Two. Somehow, a paparazzi
took a photo of the scene, causing a stir, but Vasquez, with her
connections to the Mafia, silenced the paparazzi. Oldbag gives Phoenix the
photo, showing a man impaled upon the Studio Two fence.
Phoenix, suffering from a temporary lapse of intelligence, shows the photo
to Vasquez, and accuses her of blackmail. Vasquez asks Phoenix, why would
Hammer let her blackmail him over an accident...unless it wasn't an
accident. Vasquez orders Phoenix and Maya to hand over the photo. When
they refuse, Vasquez calls in her “professionals”. Just before Phoenix and
Maya are “erased”, Gumshoe breaks in and arrests Vasquez.
Day 4.
Court begins, and Dee Vasquez is called to testify. Phoenix presses her
testimony, and she challenges Phoenix to a “battle of wits”, and asks
Phoenix how she could have stabbed Hammer with the Samurai Spear. Phoenix
realizes that since Powers broke the spear during the action run through,
there's no way the spear could be the weapon, and reasons that the murder
weapon is in fact the fencepost.
At 2:30, Hammer arrived at the Studio Two trailer, where he met Vasquez.
They fought, and she pushed him onto the fence, just the way he
accidentally killed a man five years ago. Vasquez isn't ready to give up
yet though. She asks Phoenix how she could have carried the body to Studio
One, changed his clothes, and returned to the trailer in fifteen minutes.
The only way she could have done it is with Sal Manella's (and the van's)
help.
Vasquez concedes that Phoenix has proven that she could have killed
Hammer, but since Phoenix lacks proof, she cannot be convicted. The Judge
asks for Edgeworth's opinion. Strangely, Edgeworth seems uncertain.
Phoenix asks Vasquez to testify again, but she refuses, citing it as a
waste of time.
The Judge ends the cross examination. Edgeworth suddenly objects,
requesting that Vasquez testify again, to the surprise of everyone else.
The Judge asks what Edgeworth wants Vasquez to testify about. After some
stammering, Edgeworth tells Vasquez to testify about what happened after
they found the body. The Judge agrees.
Vasquez testifies that she forget her script and direction notes. Phoenix
presses her on this, and she lets slip that she didn't bring them with
her, since she thought the rehearsal wouldn't go ahead with Hammer's
murder. Edgeworth jumps in again, pointing out that her statement means
she clearly knew about the murder prior to going to Studio One.
Vasquez changes her testimony. She says that the reason she thought the
rehearsal wouldn't go ahead is because she knew Hammer was injured.
Phoenix points out that it was Powers who was injured, and the only way
she could have mistaken the two is if she had seen Hammer limping himself,
while disguised as the Steel Samurai.
Vasquez asks Phoenix what her motive would be for killing Hammer. Phoenix
presents the photo of the accident from five years ago. After the
accident, Hammer was weighed down with guilt, and his career went
downhill. Vasquez made him take the role of the Evil Magistrate for very
little pay.
The Judge interrupts, and asks Phoenix why Vasquez would want to kill
Hammer. If anything, it should have been Hammer who wanted Vasquez dead.
Phoenix explains that Vasquez did in fact have no motive. She only killed
Hammer in self defense. Hammer was intending to kill Vasquez. He drugged
Will with sleeping pills, stole the Steel Samurai costume to trick Oldbag
into thinking that it was Powers who went past her, and then went to
Studio Two to kill Vasquez in revenge for blackmailing him for the last
five years.
Vasquez confesses to the murder.
The Judge congratulates Phoenix, but Edgeworth interrupts, claiming that
as Will was innocent, it was only natural he should be found not guilty.
In the Courthouse Lobby, Edgeworth approaches Phoenix. Phoenix thanks
Edgeworth for his help in catching Vasquez. Edgeworth tells Phoenix that
he hadn't expected to meet Phoenix again, and now, because of Phoenix he
is left experiencing unnecessary feelings. He tells Phoenix to never show
his face in front of him again. |
