I doubt that theory, based on the fact that AAI seems to be just as controversial as AJ was, at least from all I've gathered yet (and what I've gathered is, actually, quite much.)

[spoiler]The case ended early the morning of the 15th, though (around 3 A.M.), meaning that AAI2 begins just over a week later. Hopefully Edgeworth got a day or two off in between. [/spoiler]

Why? Knowing Edgeworth, he probably isn't comortable taking any vacation whatsoever and considers not being allowed to work as the worst punishment of them all.

You think so??

I'd really love to believe that -- that this case-after-case hecticness is the kind of thing he wants -- because, all Phoenix-related matters aside, the "poor Edgeworth needs a break" thing has been my main concern about the game's setting this whole time. The stress of AAI's three-days-straight late-night-every-night investigation would have been a nightmare for any average person, but of course Edgeworth is awesome enough to handle it... And a lot of times he does seem to live for his work, as you say...

...But, if I recall correctly, I think there was a very telling line in AAI relating to the comfy sofa (either in his office or in the courthouse; can't remember)... If he's with Gumshoe as a partner, he'll scold Gumshoe for wanting to take a nap on it while they've got work to do. But when Edgeworth examines it by himself, he muses that he might take a nap himself once the case is over. Or something like that. I think. I hope I'm not just pulling that out of my head.

I think Edgey really does want/need a rest sometimes. And he certainly deserves one.

Especially since GK2 is apparently going to be not just physically but emotionally taxing for him...
...I sincerely hope he sets his pride aside and takes a vacation one of these days.
Or at least that the GK2 cases won't all take place on consecutive days.

The time era is lame, Kay's return is also lame.
AAI1 end was all that dramatic about Kay who was leaving Edgeworth.
Aaaaah, take picture, aaaaah farewell Mr.Edgeworth and Gummy.
And just one week later, she reappears...

AAAH NICK I NEED TO GET ON THIS TRAIN SOMEWHEREZ
WHY?!
CAUSE YOUR JUST TOO BIG FOR ME!

And yet she returned in GS2 and it was still good.
You just don't like Kay I'll bet.

Edgeworth having Maya as an assistant for a case would be epic.

Mmm, I'd beg to differ. Kay already has dibs on the "perky female sidekick" role. Never mind that she's fighting with Gumshoe for partner. Plus Maya has the extra weight where you have to reintroduce her and her significance to all the new players.

Besides, hasn't Maya gotten into enough trouble already? She needs rescuing in every game she shows up in. And there's a reason for that. Maya has no skills. Her only special ability is to summon Mia via which makes Mia important (Although I have problems myself with Mia). But Maya herself is useless. To give her significance the writers artificially make her important to the plot via damsel in distress.

Kay and Ema have their Gimmicks, Gumshoe has a job, Trucy is perceptive in more ways then one. These characters can add something to a case that moves it forward. If you are adding Maya then you are also adding Mia and/or Phoenix. And I'm personally againt either of them showing up. Mia had all of GS3 to become important and she didn't. Phoenix did show up in GS4 and stole the spotlight from Apollo. Now. Edgeworth might be better equipped then Apollo with regards to dealing with Phoenix, but I'd rather they not without good reason.

Mmm, what about Ema than? She has science and wants to become a forencic investigator, so she has reason enough to join Edgey.

If they do it, I hope they don't they bring back the useless science gimmicks, it just doesn't fit in AA IMO...

I fear that GK2 is going to fail...

I'm just disappointed in the selected time era...
Maya's come-back to Nick was about 6/7 months later and Kay's return is just ten days.
I prefer seen Ema as Edgeys partner but then, I'm stealing my OWN ideas...

I fear that GK2 is going to fail...and I like Edgeworth when he's Edgeworth and not his ''human'' side...

Yeah, I prefer had a GS5 with Apollo...

What's important is that Edgeworth's character development doesn't suddenly regress for no apparent reason. That'd be horrible.

While I'm not saying Spirit channelling is an easy thing (credit to her for undergoing training) it's essentially Mia who is doing all the useful stuff for Phoenix.
It's like crediting someone for having a phone to call for help.

Besides it's nothing that is unique to Maya since Phoenix can easily (and has) called on Pearl to do the job. It's maybe even debatable as to whether she's BETTER than Maya at it considering the level of skill she shows for her age.

Also would hate the game if Ema was in it as a sidekick, it's only a matter of time before she becomes devil GS4 Ema.

Besides she doesn't really contribute ANYTHING other than supplies that Edgeworth could no doubt afford or the forensics team could get since she always gets someone else to do it. Since she failed in GS4 to get on the forensics team it's dubious whether she can do it at ALL. All she's effectively contributed is instruction (which is overwhelmingly simple in practice) and an enthusiasm for science.

It certainly will if you're pessimistic enough.

Well, excuse me....

Except Mia is DEAD. So no, it's not like crediting someone for having a phone to call for help. You can't call dead people. It is a VERY special skill Maya has, being able to channel the dead for help.

And if you're counting Trucy pretending to "abduct herself", then Maya jumping in front of the taser, grabbing the bullet from von Karma, and standing up in court despite the threats of contempt also count. By these standards, Maya is already three times more useful than Trucy by game 1. (And not to say I don't like Trucy. I love Trucy.)

Phoenix didn't know Maya in game 1. Phoenix wouldn't have met Pearl at all if not for Maya. And even if Pearl is better at channeling, she only ever does it when Maya is unavailable or to help Maya. Pearl is more like Maya's tag along. Pearl wouldn't be there channeling for Nick if not for Maya.

But because Ema actually has a character, even if it's a grumpy one at times, she's a devil woman? Ema wasn't even all that mean. She was certainly nicer to Apollo than Zak was to Phoenix. She was nicer than Edgeworth was to Phoenix at first. Ema wasn't all that bad, and was actually pretty helpful. She was just grumpy. Big deal, who isn't? Does that make her any less of an interesting character with a complicated backstory and fun minigames?

Again, even if her only purpose is to carry these supplies for Edgeworth and instruct him how to use them, that makes her a LOT more useful than Kay, whose only claim to fame is the Little Thief, which does nothing that can't just be shown with a hypothetical 3D model like in AJ.

God pleading eyes maybe I should just stop posting around you. You're much worse and more condescending than Icer ever was to me.

Plus if we use the troubles she gets into to detract from her usefulness (getting kidnapped and put on trial so many times) it makes her less useful and more of a problem. Compare Pearl who generally doesn't get into trouble and still has all the channelling powers.

But I'm sorry this turned into a bit of an anti-maya statement, I've not got much against Maya honestly.

But we shouldn't count up EVERY moment of usefulness to measure them that's just silly.

Trucy's powers are unique to her and she's quick witted and looks after herself

Maya can easily be replaced with Pearl and gets into trouble more often than not.

Again....Maya has the phone to call the person who is really useful.

And I think the general consensus is Ema acts horrible in comparison to her younger self in GS4. The minigames....weren't really fun either and many characters in GS4 aren't especially grumpy, not 100% of the time like she was.

Again....

Remove Ema
Replace with generic forensics teams (As they actually DID in AAI sometimes)
Have them do it without any especially interesting minigames
Give you the results.

Simple so simple.

And the hypothetical models aren't always available, any time I recall them they are already in court when all the details are present. Like a diorama.

Little thief allows for real time reconstruction of the crime scene ON the crime scene and aids in getting the case right first time. Since every time the 3D hypotheticals are used IN court is a result of the details being wrong in some way.