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Flynch
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Flynch
Hope you're enjoying the sights. You can take it easy today. Don't worry, Prosecutor Flynch will take care of everything!

Flynch is an English prosecutor working in London. He prosecuted Espella Cantabella's case when she was accused of assault and theft.

Facing Wright[]

Main article: English Turnabout

Flynch was given Espella Cantabella's case to prosecute; she was accused of assaulting Olivia Aldente, a freighter chef. In the courtroom, Flynch openly mocked Phoenix Wright, an American lawyer who was just visiting the country and had ended up as Cantabella's defense attorney, and implied that he was an incapable amateur in a British court. He then called his first witness, the freighter security guard Johnny Smiles, to testify about the crime, but Wright quickly found contradictions that questioned Smiles' credibility and showed that Flynch had not investigated the case properly. Furthermore, the prosecutor was shocked when Smiles presented a PC Badger doll tag (the dolls being cargo on the ship that Cantabella had seemingly been trying to steal) as evidence, as this should have been handed over to the police. Frustrated, Flynch dismissed Smiles and called his second witness: Olivia Aldente.

As Aldente gave her testimony, Flynch presented a photograph of the metal pipe that had been used in the struggle with Cantabella, with the latter’s fingerprints clearly visible on it. The prosecutor thought that this would definitively prove the defendant’s guilt, but Wright pointed out that that the position of Cantabella's fingerprints actually indicated that she had been defending herself from the pipe. When the defense accused Aldente of being the actual assailant, Flynch desperately tried to counter by pointing out that no other prints were found on the pipe, but Wright argued that the chef had been wearing her uniform at the time, which included gloves. However, Flynch still considered Cantabella to be the guilty party, and so presented a PC Badger doll in order to point out that she was still accused of attempted thievery. But Wright argued that said doll still had its tag, which was something that Cantabella had ripped off the doll she had been holding.

In the end, Wright was able to prove Cantabella's innocence and that Aldente was a jewel thief. The presiding judge scolded Flynch and told him to learn a lesson from the trial. As he replied, Flynch dropped his glasses, revealing his small eyes in the process, and as he frantically searched for his glasses, he fell over.

Personality[]

Flynch without glasses

Flynch without his glasses.

Flynch is very smug and overconfident. Upon meeting Phoenix Wright for the first time, he was quick to patronize him and treat him like an amateur. Nevertheless, he is very easily rattled when proceedings do not go his way. It is also implied that Flynch leaves investigation work to the police and does not participate himself, causing him to overlook evidence and information.

Not only is Flynch nearsighted without his glasses, he also dislikes being seen without them. When the shock of losing to Wright caused his glasses to fly off his face, Flynch went into a panic trying to find them.

Name[]

  • His English, Spanish, and Dutch names are all plays on the word "flinch". The name was likely chosen to draw a comparison between him and Winston Payne (as well as Winston's brother Gaspen Payne), of whom Flynch somewhat resembles both physically and in terms of personality.
  • His French name "Flipet" is a play on the word "flipper", meaning "to freak out", likely in reference to his breakdown.
  • His German name "Blynde" is a play on the word "blind", referring to his poor eyesight without his glasses.
  • His Italian name "Layne" is an even more obvious reference to Payne, since there's only a one letter difference between the two. Other than that, it could also be a play on the word "lame".

Development[]

  • Flynch is likely intended to be a nod to Prosecutor Winston Payne. Aside from his name having a similar pun, the two characters are very similar in terms of personality and appearance (i.e., they both wear glasses with lenses that obscure their eyes and have near identical "shocked" animations). Both also serve as "tutorial case" prosecutors of their respective games.
  • Despite being a prosecutor, a badge similar to that worn by attorneys can be seen on his lapel.
  • Upon completing Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for the first time, a short scene plays during the epilogue in which Wright faces off against Miles Edgeworth in the English courtroom. However, if the player loads a cleared file in order to play through the game's finale again, Wright will instead be in a trial against Flynch, who had found his glasses.
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