| “ | It's almost looking possible, isn't it? For the lot of you to have come this far... It looks like I just might lose our little game, this time. | „ |
| ~ Quercus Alba |
Quercus Alba is the leader of the Cohdopian Smuggling Ring and the main antagonist of the Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth case "Turnabout Ablaze".
Contents
Biography
Descent into corruption
Alba was a war veteran from the Principality of Cohdopia, and was soon elected to be the country's ambassador. However, power soon corrupted him and he became the leader of an international smuggling ring, taking the image of a frail old man while using his position as an alibi to prevent being sent to court or even being accused. Furthermore, he contracted the Amano Group's services to further expand his smuggling through the whole world.
KG-8 Incident
In 2008/2009, Cece Yew, a member of the Amano Group appeared before court with incriminating evidence to accuse her superior, but Alba ordered ring general Manny Coachen to kill her. He did so, but he was arrested shortly after. However, Coachen was freed after Ernest Amano sent one of his employees to steal the camera footage that incriminated Coachen, thus giving him a "not guilty" veredict. Also, Alba sent one of his agents to pose as Cece's sister, Calisto Yew, who managed to join detective Tyrell Badd and prosecutor Byrne Faraday in forming the Yatagarasu. Three years later, Alba ordered "Calisto" to assassinate Faraday and steal a piece of evidence called the "Yatagarasu's Key". But her crime was exposed by then newcomer Miles Edgeworth, forcing her to run away. In the next seven years, Alba acted behind the scenes, continuing the smuggling ring's activities, until the civil war and separation of Cohdopia. As a result, Alba became the ambassador of the Kingdom of Allebahst, while Coachen became the secretary of the Republic of Babahl's ambassador, Colias Palaeno.
Turnabout Ablaze
In 2019, Coachen organized an event in the simmetrical Cohdopian Embassy in the USA to determinate which country had the legitimate Primidux Statue, to show which country had the most control for a possible reunification. Both Alba and Coachen knew that Allebahst's statue was the real one, as the fake would be used to store the plates to fabricate the fake counterfeit bills in Zheng Fa. But Coachen, seeking to usurp Alba, hired a thief, Ka-Shi Nou, to switch both statues so Palaeno (without his knowledge) could be the new ambassador of a reunited Cohdopia. Alba discovered the plot and organized a whole plan with his agent, now an Interpol agent called Shih-Na, to murder Coachen and pin the blame on the Yatagarasu. Later, Alba confronted Coachen and murdered him, tricking the Steel Samurai into unknowingly taking his body to the Babahlese side of the embassy, where Shih-Na dumped him into the secretariat's office and set it on fire, blaming the Yatagarasu while Alba killed the thief Coachen hired in self-defense. However, Miles Edgeworth and his team where also at the embassy and managed to expose Shih-Na as an agent of the Cohdopian Smuggling Ring, getting her arrested. When Miles confronted Alba, however, the evidence only helped to make him quit the "old man" image and revert to his old self, as his position as ambassador gave him extraterritorial rights, meaning that he could only be judged in Allebahst. However, Interpol agent Shi-Long Lang exposed the stolen camera footage to the Allebahstian Council, deposing Alba of his position and granting Edgeworth and his team and friends to expose Alba and arrest him. He was later tried both in USA by Edgeworth, and in Allebahst by Franziska von Karma, both granting him a "guilty" verdict.
Breakdown
Alba has two breakdowns. First, he rises to his full height and breaks his staff into pieces. When finally caught, he screams Edgeworth's name while his face is cracked by a gust of wind, then he bends backwards, his medals flowing upwards while a falling tree is heard in the background. He then finally bends forward to reveal an almost mummified face.
Personality
At first, Alba looks like a senile and persnickety old man who often blames himself when something goes wrong, but that still can be straight and authoritary. Though his true personality is a cruel, arrogant and manipulative old man that cares for nothing but himself and his money, and constantly acts as if nothing can stop him.
Trivia
- "Quercus Alba" is the scientific name for the White Oak tree, which explains his appearance, a log-shaped face, leaf-like hair and root-like beard.
- Oak trees are also known for being extremely resilient and strongly rooted. Alba is an extremely tough opponent to take down because of his roots in the Cohadopian embassy and the smuggling ring, as well as being very familiar with the legal system, causing him to put up an incredibly lengthy fight against Edgeworth.
- "Carnage Onred" (in Japanese: カーネイジオンレッド) might be a reference to the Red Carnation flower, which is the national symbol of Allebahst. It can also be a reference to "carnage on red", with "carnage" meaning "death", and "red" meaning "blood".
- Quercus Alba is one of several Ace Attorney Villains to have more than one breakdown, like Kristoph Gavin. While the first breakdown is a set of rage, revealing their true selves, hidden from the others, the second one is desparate state when both villain are ultimately defeated, going mad beyond the borders.
- Alba is the first main antagonist who isn't compared to a devil or a demon at any point in the game.
- Alba is so far, the oldest main antagonist in the Phoenix Wright series.
