Ranking the Ace Attorney Prosecutors From the Original Trilogy

Phoenix Wright is a great character who goes on an incredible journey during the first three games of the Ace Attorney series. However, no matter how great your protagonist is, there has to be an equally great antagonist to clash with them. Luckily, the Ace Attorney series has that in spades.

Whether it’s Franziska von Karma or Godot, you know you’re in for a fight. Whenever you think you have them beat, they somehow turn it around on you. But above that, they all have stories that make them more than just courtroom rivals. So, here are the best Ace Attorney prosecutors from the original trilogy. By the way, there will definitely be spoilers in this article.

Ace Attorney Prosecutors Ranked

Winston Payne
Franziska von Karma
Miles Edgeworth
Godot

1. Winston Payne

Okay, I like Winston Payne but I think we all saw this coming. Compared to the rest of the prosecutors from the trilogy, Payne isn’t given too much to work with. He only appears about once per game. That said, he does leave a lasting impression.

Payne appears as the prosecutor in the first case of all three games. He’s the prosecutor they use to ease new players into the series. The reason he works so well in this role is that he’s immensely arrogant.

As soon as he opens his mouth you immediately want to beat him because of his comments and attitude. So, whenever you do win the case, the feeling of victory is amplified tenfold.

2. Franziska von Karma

Introduced in the second game, Franziska von Karma immediately becomes a force to be reckoned with. She’s the daughter of notorious prosecutor Manfred von Karma, and like her father, she doesn’t accept anything less than perfection. Franziska is relatively young for a prosecutor but that hasn’t stopped her from making a name for herself.

She’s vicious, intimidating, and outright scary. The only thing sharper than her words is the whip that she has with her at all times. However, there’s something about her that makes her sympathetic. As stated, she wants to be perfect, and she’s crushed when she can’t meet that high standard.

In the end, von Karma doesn’t become friends with Phoenix Wright but there is a level of respect between the two. Franziska may not have been able to beat the defense attorney, but she has won over the hearts of the fans.

3. Miles Edgeworth

Miles Edgeworth is a fan-favorite character, and for good reason. His relationship/rivalry with Phoenix Wright in the first game is a sight to behold. Seeing them go from former friends to rivals back to friends again is a journey many of us wish we could relive.

Apart from Payne, Edgeworth is the only prosecutor to make an appearance in every game of the trilogy, and that’s still not enough Edgeworth for us. Although he can be reserved and sometimes emotionless, he’s shown to care about Wright and the rest of his friends.

This is made evident when he springs up to help when Maya gets kidnapped in “Farewell, My Turnabout”. Again, he immediately helps in the last case of the trilogy when Wright is in the hospital and can’t investigate the crime or defend the defendant. Edgeworth might have a tough exterior shell, but deep down, he’s a big softy.

4. Godot

The main prosecutor of the last game, Godot might just be the best Ace Attorney character. Everything about him is top-notch: his theme, his appearance, his dialogue, and especially, his story. Godot is mysterious and tragic, and he just oozes coolness.

Although he’s a tough prosecutor, and he openly dislikes Wright, Godot makes it impossible to root against him. It becomes even more impossible when we learn of his backstory. Godot was the friend and co-worker of Mia Fey, the mentor of Wright. Unfortunately, he falls into a coma, and in the time that it takes for him to awaken, Mia is murdered.

This takes him on a quest to face off against Mia’s pupil. Godot believes Wright is weak for not saving Mia from death. It takes him until the very end to see that she is still living inside of Wright.