For our final character profile, we’re doing something a little different from the two-character format we’ve been doing. This time around, we’re talking about Ema Skye and her one true love: forensics! Learn more about the newly certified forensics investigator, as well as the forensics gameplay you’ll get to see in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice !

Ema made her debut in the final episode of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney as a cheery high school girl fascinated by science and forensics, including a serious desire to dust everything she could get her hands on for fingerprints! Raised primarily by her older sister and former Chief Prosecutor, Lana Skye, Ema first crossed paths with Phoenix Wright when Lana was accused of murder. Believing in her sister’s innocence, Ema tracked down the Fey & Co. Law Offices hoping to meet Mia Fey, but ended up meeting Phoenix instead. Drawing parallels between Ema and Maya’s care for their older sisters, Phoenix agreed to take up Lana’s defense. Throughout Phoenix’s investigation, Ema’s love of forensics was crucial in both solving the case and discovering the identity of the true murderer. It was also what helped to expose corruption in both the police and prosecutor’s offices, and prove Lana’s innocence.  With her sister cleared of murder charges, Ema set her sights on turning her hobby into a career as a forensic investigator, and went on to study abroad in Europe.

Does… does that bag ever run out?
(Ema in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney )

Several in-universe years later, Ema was also instrumental in helping out Apollo with a number of cases during the events of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. After returning to the United States, Ema set her sights on the test to become a forensics investigator. However, despite multiple attempts, she was unable to pass the test, resulting in her assignment to criminal affairs as a homicide detective. While this turn of events seemed to have soured her once cheery mood considerably, Ema always perked up at any chance to use her forensics skills to help with Apollo’s investigations, often helping out the fledgling attorney with finding evidence that may otherwise have been missed.

Now, about two years later…

(Ema in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice )

Ema has finally passed the test, and achieved her life-long dream of joining the forensics team! Proudly wearing the arm band signifying her position, Ema has said “goodbye” to the chocolate Snackoos (her favorite snack food), stress, and mail-order forensic kits that defined her time in criminal affairs… though she admits she still likes to do forensics on the side as a hobby. Guess those life-long habits are a little hard to break, huh? Thanks to her new role in the department, Ema has returned to a much more cheerful disposition, and is more than willing to help the lawyers of the Wright Anything Agency. In fact, even though she’s the lead investigator on Trucy’s case , she doesn’t seem to think that Trucy could have committed the crime at all.

It’s time to get scientific.
(Ema in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice )

Of course, with Ema returning, you can count on forensics gameplay making a return as well! Forensics were first introduced in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney alongside Ema, and, much like Ema, offers a different approach to evidence. Forensics gives you a new set of tools to work with, such as investigating objects in 3D, allowing you to view evidence from all angles. This is particularly important when you’re working with Ema to carefully dust evidence for fingerprints and then blow the dust off to search for clues.  Once you’ve found some solid prints, you can scan them to find out who the owner is as evidence! There’s more forensics gameplay in the full game, but you’ll just have to play it for yourself to find out what else you can do.

Forensics, the most beloved Ace Attorney character, at work.
(From Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice )

Oh, and before I forget, it sounds like Nahyuta might not be the only one traveling between America and the Kingdom of Khura’in. Maybe Ema will need those Snackoos after all.

That’s all for our series of character profiles for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice! The full game will be out this time next week on Thursday, September 8th!  I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these profiles, and that they were a good read for not only the aces who have been there from the beginning, but also series greenhorns and those of you that just needed to dust off your badge with a refresher course on some of the many memorable characters of Ace Attorney, old and new. See you in court!

Looking to read up on the rest? Check out:

Phoenix Wright and Rayfa Padma Khura’in

Maya Fey and Ahlbi Ur’gaid

Apollo Justice and Nahyuta Sahdmadhi

Athena Cykes and Roger Retinz (the Ratings Rajah)

Trucy Wright and Bonny de Famme