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TheAce Attorneyseries is famous for its quirky yet endlessly endearing characters, and no one is more lovable than Dick Gumshoe. As lead homicide detective for the Los Angeles Police Department, he assists Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth in nearly all their cases.
Despite his jolly demeanor, Gumshoe has had a rather tragic career that almost ended during his first week. Since then, his abilities as an investigator have often been questioned, leading many people to wonder if he’s any good at his job. Why does a bumbling sleuth work closely with a prestigious prosecutor such as Edgeworth? The answer lies in the detective’s bizarre past.
Why Is Detective Gumshoe Loyal To Edgeworth?
Detective Gumshoe is known for beingMiles Edgeworth’s right-hand man. He has assisted in almost all the prosecutor’s cases and remains devoted despite occasionally being treated cruelly.
The origins of the sleuth’s loyalty date backfour years before the events of the Phoenix Wright trilogy. During Gumshoe’s first week as a detective,Edgeworth saved him from being falsely arrested for double homicide.
The story begins with the detective being assignedsecurity duty at the courthouse during the trial of Mack Rell. The defendant had been arrested on suspicion of being the great thief Yatagarasu.
Things take a bizarre turn whenRell accuses the prosecutor, Byrne Faraday,of being the real culprit.
Gumshoe isasked to guard the door to the defendant’s lobbywhile Faraday questions Rell inside. Shortly after,both men are found dead.
Edgeworth is quickly brought in to investigate. After examining the crime scene, he eliminates the possibility that the victims killed each other.Suspicion then falls onto Gumshoe, who was the only one present in the area during the murder.
Things only worsen for the scruffy investigator whenhe refuses to account for his actions during the crime. After much thought, Edgeworth deduces the reason for the detective’s silence.
It turns out that Faraday’s daughter, Kay, was in the hallway with Gumshoe around the time of death. To protect her from getting swept up in her father’s murder,he vowed to keep her presence a secret, even if it meant going to jail.
Not only does Edgeworth prove Gumshoe’s innocence, but he also reveals Rell’s lawyer, Calisto Yew, to be the actual killer. To everyone’s shock, the young prosecutor proves that Yew is the real Yatagarasu and has killed both men to cover it up.
Moved by Edgeworth’s passionate defense,Gumshoe vows to stay by his side forever. Since then, the two have been inseparable.
Is Gumshoe A Good Detective?
Gumshoe’s detective skills arequestionable at best. He investigatesalmost all of Phoenix Wright’s casesand, with one exception, always arrests the wrong person.
He’s also afraid of blood, leading him to sometimes act squeamishly at gruesome crime scenes.
While he can competently testify about the facts of a case,Wright often finds several contradictions and leaps of logicin his reasoning behind a person’s arrest.
Because of his many mistakes,Edgeworth frequently cuts his salary, forcing him to live on a diet of instant noodles.
That’s not to say that Gumshoe is completely inept. While he’s never the one who solves the mysteries, the lovable detective is often vital to helping Phoenix and Edgeworth find evidence to prove their theories.
The scruffy sleuth has a knack for bursting in with a new clue at the last minute, most notably whenhe found Furio Tigre’s fingerprintsat the scene of Glen Elg’s murder anddiscovered the method of transportation used by Quercus Albato move Manny Coachen’s body.
Also,Gumshoe’s seven secret weapons have been essentialfor solving crimes numerous times. His metal detector famously helped Phoenix locate the bullet in Manfred von Karma’s shoulder, proving the prosecutor’s guilt in Gregory Edgeworth’s murder.
Another critical moment was when the detective’s video analysis machine allowed Edgeworth to study the Detention Center’s security footage, which provided an important hint as to how Jay Elbird escaped prison.
Ironically, Gumshoe’s biggest strength is also his greatest weakness.He’s incredibly devoted to those he cares about, even to the point of self-sacrifice.
One example is when his love interest, Maggey Byrde, was suspected of killing Detective Buddy Faith. To protect her,Gumshoe falsely confessed to committing the crimeand nearly went to prison.
Despite the rare occasions when his stubbornness has hindered an investigation, his unwavering loyalty hasdriven him to risk his career and lifein pursuit of the truth.
Overall, Gumshoe’s deduction and observation skills are almost non-existent. However, neither Wright nor Edgeworth has a more reliable friend. They can always count on him to save the day when push comes to shove.
Does Gumshoe Ever Get A Raise?
After years of salary cuts,Gumshoe finally receives a raise in Ace Attorney Investigations 2for his courage and dedication during the P.I.C. incident.
While investigating a series of crimes, including the strange murders of prisoner Horace Knightley and defense attorney Jill Crane, Edgeworth discovers that the masterminds are prison warden Patricia Roland and former Chief Prosecutor Blaise Debeste.
To escape his crimes, Blaise uses his power as Chairman of the Prosecutorial Investigation Committee tostrip Edgeworth of his badge.
Gumshoe proves crucial to catching both murderers,helping locate the weaponused to kill Knightley andrecruiting Ema Skyeto assist Miles in convicting Debeste.
His biggest achievement happens whenBlaise kidnaps Judge Justine Courtney’s son, John Marsh, to force her into acquitting both him and Roland.
Gumshoe leads a successful rescue mission, infiltrating the warehouse where John is held captive and saving him before it’s too late.
Debeste and Roland are convicted, and Miles is reinstated as a prosecutor. To thank the detective for his exceptional work,Edgeworth finally gives Gumshoe a pay raise.
Is Detective Gumshoe In Apollo Justice?
Detective Gumshoe makes a brief cameo in Apollo Justice Ace Attorney, marking his final chronological appearance in the timeline.
Despite his minor role in the story, the sleuth is present for the largest turning point in the trilogy:the trial where Phoenix Wright is disbarred.
The story is told in the flashback section of Turnabout Succession.Gumshoe arrests a famous magician named Shadi Enigmarfor shooting his mentor, Magnifi Gramarye.
Unfortunately, the detective’s investigation is sloppier than usual. Hecompletely misses the second bullet holeat the crime scene and fails to notice that thevictim’s medication and diary have been tampered with.
The trial ends abruptly when Prosecutor Klavier Gavin accuses Wright of forging evidence.What happens to Gumshoe after Phoenix’s disbarment is a mystery, since Bobby Fulbright and Ema Skye take over as lead detectives.
