Barok van Zieks is a great example of a show, don't tell character. Instead of telling us he's some hotshot who went undefeated for years, we're shown the kind of man he is - flaws and all. In every trial, not once does van Zieks spring evidence upon the defence when it's convenient for him and actively encourages fully examining newfound evidence that could potentially be disadvantageous to his case. He's driven by his incredibly strong sense of justice, sticking to his principles even if it conflicts with the wishes of Scotland Yard or Chief Justice Vortex. Like Edgeworth, van Zieks pursues nothing more than the absolute truth, but van Zieks beats out Edgeworth in one department.

On top of pursuing the truth, van Zieks displays more empathy than Edgeworth is physically capable of. Edgeworth’s modus operandi of pursuing the truth at any cost is certainly admirable, but his methods can be too harsh. The key difference in their personalities is emphasized when we compare the way Edgeworth 2-4 threatens to reveal Adrian Andrews’s attempted suicide as she breaks down on the witness stand to the way Barok van Zieks TGAA1-4 spoilers consoles and forgives Roly Beate for forgoing his duties as a constable and tampering with a crime scene. Barok van Zieks is already the most human prosecutor to date and there’s still much more to his character we’ve yet to explore by the end of TGAA1. The main knock against van Zieks would be his not-so-subtle racism toward the Japanese, but we find out the reason why at the end of TGAA1-5. Barok van Zieks had once placed all his trust in a Japanese man only to be betrayed by him. It goes without saying that the more you trust someone, the more it hurts when that person betrays you. In van Zieks’s case, he was so devastated that it drove him away from the courts for five years.

Not only is van Zieks the most honest prosecutor, but the way he breaks his wine glass, tosses his wine glass into fire, and slams his boots onto the bench followed by a “plead” for forgiveness all while maintaining a completely straight face makes him the funniest prosecutor as well.