| Turnabout Discharge - Part 1 | |
|---|---|
 ~Hindsight and Foresight~ | |
| Date added | January 20, 2024 |
| Duration | 55:50 |
| Transcript | Available |
| Part of | My Little Ace Attorney: Elements of Justice |
| ⇐ Crusading for a Turnabout - Part 9 |
⇒ Turnabout Discharge - Part 2 |
The episode begins with a flashback to an unspecified time in the recent past; in a Manehattan courtroom, Overall Concept (the Turnabout Theatre case victim) is on trial for murder, with Princess Celestia as the judge, Sonata as the defense attorney, and Trixie Lulamoon as the prosecutor. This is Sonata's first trial since she was released from prison and became an attorney.
Celestia begins the trial, and Trixie explains the case's details: Overall Concept has been charged with murdering Estella Pantomimia, a prominent Bridleway Theatre costume designer and Overall's coworker. In addition, Estella's twin sister Espie has mysteriously disappeared. Overall and Estella were rumored to have been romantically involved prior to her death, but Trixie suggests that Overall may have killed her because she threatened to replace him as Bridleway's head costume designer. Sonata dismisses this motive as unfounded speculation, but Trixie still has evidence and testimony implicating Overall Concept as the murderer. Regardless, Sonata is determined to prove Overall's innocence.
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The story then flashes forward to several days after the end of Sweetie Belle's trial; Rainbow Dash has been arrested for another crime and detained at the Cloudsdale detention center. Sonata has offered to represent Rainbow in court, but after the events of Turnabout Storm, Rainbow wants nothing to do with her, and any and all attempts to reason with Rainbow fall on deaf ears.
Refusing to let Rainbow Dash hinder her efforts, Sonata employs a communication tactic to press her into talking and draw information out of her through the proper responses and reactions. Despite Rainbow's defensiveness, she eventually reveals that Pinkie Pie was a witness to the events that led to her being arrested and that the victim was a fellow member of the Wonderbolts Reserves named Stream Line, of whom Rainbow appears to have a very low opinion. Stream Line had suddenly collapsed during a training exercise at the Wonderbolt Academy, and Rainbow is suspected of poisoning her.
Rainbow expects Phoenix to defend her in court like last time, but Phoenix says Sonata will be her attorney while he serves as co-counsel. Rainbow is still resistant to this idea, but Sonata once again assures her that she has changed since the events of Turnabout Storm and promises to do everything she can to prove Rainbow's innocence. With Phoenix vouching for Sonata, Rainbow finally agrees to accepting her help. Unfortunately, a guard enters to take Rainbow away for further questioning and reveals that, due to her case being of supposed "national importance", her trial will be taking place later that same day, giving Sonata and Phoenix very little time to prepare her defense.
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Meanwhile, in Manehattan, Apollo, Trucy, Applejack, Sweetie Belle, and Spike are investigating at the Bridleway Theatre. After Rarity was arrested for her suspected involvement in Overall Concept's death, Apollo has offered to defend her in court, and after numerous delays by case prosecutor Prince Blueblood, Apollo and his friends are finally able to investigate.
The group meets with theater director Playwright, who was shocked and appalled to learn that Rarity was arrested; Coco Pommel had taken the news especially hard. Playwright explains that Rarity had no apparent connection to Bridleway Theatre outside of her relationships with Coco and Overall Concept, and he offhandedly mentions that Overall got along well with everyone he knew, including Estella and Espie Pantomimia, who mysteriously disappeared six months prior.
With Bridleway Theatre and Overall and Coco's apartments having already been extensively investigated, the group is unsure of where to go next. At Sweetie Belle's suggestion, they decide to check out Overall's previous place of work: "Keresmatic's Mare Attic", an establishment that – according to Playwright – is known for hosting seedy and unsavory activities. Playwright also informs them that the case's lead detective (whose investigation resulted in Rarity's arrest) is currently there.
Trivia[]
- According to an official pre-production roadmap for this episode, production on it began in February 2023, almost a full year before its release.
- This is the first introductory episode of the series to not begin with a cinematic that shows the crime or murder taking place.
- During her interrogation of Rainbow Dash, Sonata uses Logic Chess, a gameplay mechanic featured in Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit.
- Beginning with this episode, the closing credits feature an original song titled "Reset the Clock", with vocals provided by CadetRedShirt (who voices Sonata and Applejack).