WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Shadows House Episode 5, "The Debut," now streaming on Funimation.
Episode 5 of Shadows House finally gets into the Debut -- the first rite of passage for the Shadows and their Living Dolls. The Debut is the first time that Shadows can interact with their peers and the moment where their Living Dolls' "Faces" are officially revealed. It's also a ceremony filled with tests that assess the synchronicity of each pair, which can end with one or both members of the pair "discarded" if they fail to pass.
All the Shadows had been obsessively preparing for the Debut, each one playing to their strengths. Louise considered Lou the most beautiful Face of them all, and treated her Living Doll to elaborate makeup and unending praise, although Lou herself is quite subdued. Richard and Ricky have the same mean streak and ambitious personality, to the point where they're able to finish each other's sentences and trust each other completely. Shaun's master went the opposite way -- he likes Shaun so much that he wanted to look like him, even getting glasses to match Shaun's, despite not needing them. Meanwhile, Ram and Shirley are pathologically shy, incapable of talking to each other despite the dangers involved in failing the Debut.
Kate and Emilico are the most opposing pair, with Kate's studiousness and reserved nature clashing with Emilico's enthusiasm and eagerness to please. They get along well, but Emilico's cleaning duties kept her away from Kate for the better part of the last four episodes, which Kate resented. In fact, Kate became incredibly worried during the first phases of the Debut, because Emilico was more concerned with helping every other Living Doll feel at ease rather than with fulfilling her role as Kate's Face and emoting what Kate was feeling -- which was mostly frustration.
However, Kate had a secret weapon: her ability to control soot, the black substance that all Shadows generate when they are feeling negative emotions. Kate and Emilico realized that Kate could make it move and even give it a life of its own very early on, and Kate had been practicing -- first with moving her sootman toy and then by turning soot into ribbons that she poured into teacups.
Usually, gathering soot is bad news -- it can coalesce into noxious little creatures that then transform into malicious, poisonous Phantoms with a mind of their own. It could be that Shadows are merely evolved Phantoms, which would explain why Kate could tap into this ability by accident. The main difference is that Kate is conscious of her emotions, so she's able to channel the soot artistically and constructively.
The last test that the children take together is dancing a waltz; all of the other pairs are more or less coordinated -- or at least trying -- but Emilico is incredibly clumsy, doesn't know how to dance, has not practiced at all and both she and Kate know that this waltz will be their death knell. However, Kate comes up with a great idea: she directs a soot ribbon into Emilico's boots, and asks her to relax as she takes care of her steps by controlling the soot inside her shoes. And it works. It's a beautiful moment about finding strength and creativity within one's perceived weaknesses and grudges, and a little breather before the trials to come.
