Ace Attorney Deep Dive: “Turnabout Beginnings” (Trials & Tribulations – Case 4)

“Turnabout Beginnings”, much like the first case of the game, is a flashback case that puts Mia Fey at the helm once more. Over the course of a harrowing trial, we start to understand the horrible events that set the narrative of the present day into motion.

I’ll be deconstructing the case in ten distinct categories and giving a score out of ten for each. This will give a definitive score out of a hundred, if the maths checks out!

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Micro Story

“Turnabout Beginnings” opens with Phoenix on a hospital bed researching an old case. How did he get there? Why is this case so important? It’s a strong start to a case, that’s for sure.

Valerie Hawthorne, a veteran police officer, is found dead near Dusky Bridge. The prime suspect? A man named Terry Fawles, who just so happens to be intimately linked to that location due to a past event.

Strangely enough, it’s not the Micro Story of the case that I find most engaging – it’s the stuff around the murder that always draws me in. The characters, the backstories, the sense of dread … In other words, the murder itself is not particularly noteworthy.

Score: 6/10

Macro Story

Remember how I said Terry Fawles was involved in a previous incident on Dusky Bridge? Well, this is exactly when “Turnabout Beginnings” got really interesting.

Terry Fawles stole a precious gemstone and ran off with his girlfriend Dahlia Hawthorne, but the police officer Valerie Hawthorne caught up to him on the bridge. What he didn’t know, however, was that Dahlia and Valerie had their own plans. What VALERIE didn’t know, however, was that Dahlia is one of the most manipulative, self-serving villains in the series.

Dahlia plunged into the rapids below, gemstone in hand, and Terry Fawles had to take the fall (hehe) for it. That brings us to the case Mia presides over involving Valerie’s murder and Terry’s apparent involvement, but yet again Dahlia is pulling the strings. It’s fascinating to see how one devilish action by Dahlia many years ago has such an effect on the present – and all future – cases.

Another engrossing aspect of “Turnabout Beginnings” is the prosecutor, who just so happens to be Miles Edgeworth on his first ever case. It’s amazing seeing him in his Von Karma-esque origins, snarky attitude and all, and he makes the courtroom proceedings that much better.

But hang on … I thought Edgeworth never lost a case before battling against Wright? And why did Mia make no mention of this first case while taking her second case in “Turnabout Memories”? I’m getting an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach …

Score: 9/10

Mystery

No prises for guessing the culprit in this one. It’s Dahlia. She turns up, and you remember that Mia despises her in “Turnabout Memories” – which canonically takes place after this case. Somehow, she must have gotten away with her crimes … but how? And I’m pretty sure Edgeworth had never lost a case by this point?

The main mystery, at least to me, came in the form of Mia’s defence counsel. He’s immediately recognisable as another visor-wearing, coffee-guzzling prosecutor, except he’s got a face. And a new name. And is on the side of the defence, not the prosecution. What the hell is going on here?!?

At lot of these questions and mysteries don’t play out until the next case, but I liked how we were teased with all these loose threads.

Score: 6/10

Side Characters

We don’t get many new side characters in “Turnabout Beginnings”, but they all make an impression. For better or worse.

Let’s start with the big one – the defendant of the case, Terry Fawles. I can absolutely see where the sympathy is supposed to go – he comes across as a simple, harmless man who got wronged by a manipulative girl, and his suicide at the end of the trial is one of the most harrowing moments in the whole Ace Attorney series. That being said … he’s a pedo. A nonce. A kiddy-fiddler. He started dating Dahlia when she was something like 14, and that’s not okay in my books. Once you realise that, it sours all good-will built up towards the character.

This may be stretching the definition of “new” side characters, but I wanted to talk about Diego Armando. It’s pretty clear that this is Godot prior to some sort of accident, but I love seeing him help Mia from behind the defence bench. This isn’t his case so he doesn’t get many big moments, but he tells Mia that “The only time a lawyer can cry is when it’s all over”. A line that still tugs at my heartstrings.

And I suppose, if we’re being pedantic, there’s a new Judge? He’s more competent than our regular judge, that’s for sure, but he doesn’t stand out much as a result.

Score: 6/10

Soundtrack

Weirdly, I can only find one new soundtrack addition in “Turnabout Beginnings”.

Good news is that “Recollection – The Scenery Seen from Dusky Bridge” is one of the best recollection themes in the series. It’s filled with an immense sadness that only amplifies once the trial concludes.

Score: 8/10

“Investigations”

Welp. We’ve reached that awkward point yet again. “Turnabout Beginnings” has no Investigations in sight, being a Trial-only case, so I’m a bit stuck when it comes to this category.

Usually in these situations I turn to the crime scene itself, and I must say Dusky Bridge is one of the most haunting, atmospheric crime scenes we never visit (at least, not in this case). It’s well rendered, has a great soundtrack, and there are enough variables on-site to make deduction work really fun.

But it’s just a rickety bridge at the end of the day.

Score: 6/10

Trials

“Turnabout Beginnings” is a Trial-only case, and you can be damn sure the developers packed all of their best stuff into the courtroom.

Young Edgeworth is a delight as prosecutor, Mia starts to find her footing as an attorney, the various contradictions are challenging and really engaging, and that ending where Terry Fawles ingests the poison is one of the great Ace Attorney moments – both as a twist and a tear-jerker.

Score: 9/10

Case Logic

My biggest problem with the logic in “Turnabout Beginnings” is actually a repeat issue from “Turnabout Memories” – or, at least, the two are one and the same.

Chronologically speaking, this is supposed to Mia’s first trial. The problem with that is she’s much more competent here than she was in “Turnabout Memories”, which was canonically her second trial.

There’s also the issue of Dahlia jumping off the bridge to run away – a stunt that landed Phoenix in hospital during “Bridge to the Turnabout”. I guess she hit the water in a better way? Or fled with injuries?

Other than that, “Turnabout Beginnings” is short and concise enough where there isn’t much room for plot holes.

Score: 8/10

Culprit

We knew something was off with Dahlia Hawthorne from the moment she turned up in “Turnabout Memories”. After playing “Turnabout Beginnings”, we can see why Mia loathed her so much.

Her manipulation of Terry Fawles (and the courtroom at large) is utterly despicable, and the fact she gets away with her crimes scot-free initially is blood-boiling. We also learn that she poisoned Diego Armando during a meeting with him in the courthouse … could she be any more evil?

When combined with her actions in “Turnabout Memories” and “Bridge to the Turnabout” she becomes one of the ultimate Ace Attorney villains … but since I’m only looking at “Turnabout Beginnings” I can only score this part of her devious plan.

Score: 9/10

Charm

How do you define charm? Is a defendant dropping dead in the middle of a Trial due to poisoning “charming”? Well, not really, but I would say the case as a whole has its merits.

The characters are all memorable, the murder is good in isolation but even better in the grand scheme of things, and that ending makes one hell of an impression.

Score: 8/10

FINAL SCORE: 75/100

Considering “Turnabout Beginnings” is a Trial-only case that doesn’t last very long, a score of 75 is impressive indeed.

Aaaaand that’s my list! It’s the big one next time … So until then, you can check out some of my latest blog posts below: