Like we cannot sure just yet that just because he shows Kate his face means he's a good guy

Cuz if I remember correctly, the face language of the Adult Shadows is that they show it to those on the same ranks as them to be appealingly friendly or it's just general coworker's formality, if they do it with lower ranks willingly that it means they must trust them enough to show them their faces, it's considered a great honour

To me, this has been used as a trick, ALWAYS has, again showing their faces don't mean the same as baring their fangs, it gives a false sense of security and friendliness that you're both on the same boat, just like Thomas did to Lewis or at least what Thomas thought he was doing but he just got tricked by Lewis

Every time an adult shows their faces to others in the story, it is always a trick, be it to another lower adult or a child, Edward did it first by showing that he's just a face and he did, except he lied about the truth: He's not an adult Doll, he's a unified Shadow, I made my point that to the Adults, the faces are just a formality and a literal facial trick

Adults are hella smart, that's why they live all the way to adulthood duh, it's obvious that they're very clever and Joseph is a 3rd Floor at that

Joseph definitely knows this, he only looks kind, we cannot be sure just how exactly of a well-thought person he is and we can't be sure he has a heart of goodness just because he lived among the enemies for all these years, I fear Kate might even get tricked by him the same way Anthony did to her and it's one hell of a parallel if that is the case

The complex intricacies of adults are so good to explore, I wanna explore it with my 3rd Floor Shadow adult OC, Roise too and she's also quite the weird case as well

Oh yes, I definitely agree with you.

My interpretation of the Shadows showing their faces is that they only age when they do so, so that by showing someone else their face, it means they are saying that person is "worth their time," both metaphorically and literally. Or its kinda showing their trophies, in a sense? Because their adulthood is like something they think they've won.

One thing though, everytime an adult shadow has shown their face to someone else as a trick, that persons always come out on top.

Edward showed his face to the debutants, but they were the ones who ended up figuring out his secret through Maryrose and later Kate. Thomas showed his face to Lewis, but it turned out Lewis was the one who was manipulating him, courtsey of Anthony. So I have faith in my girl Kate to hoodwink this guy back, even if I do expect her to believe him for at least a couple chapters.

Joseph's already shown to be smarter than the other third floor adults. Remember that during the debut, he was the only one who kept his cool and when Dorothy and Ryan got excited about the dolls potentially backstabbing one another, he was the one who put them down. So he definitely has some sort of authority over the others, because they definitely do listen to him.

He also read the files on the main characters before the debut as well, so theres definotely he knows things about them, like their personal relationships (he knew Shaun and Emilyko were already on good terms during the debut).

I know he’s probably just talking about the adults in general, but all I can think about is He/They Joseph real

This is Joseph by the way

First pic is Joseph speaking:

Second pic is Sophie speaking:

The last one is both Dorothy and Ryan's literal synchronized thought:

Context: Dorothy and Ryan were talking about how Shaun and Emilico should've had used cruel means to eliminate their friends,they were talking about Ram, Shaun, Emilico, who were already friends at that time

Then both Sophie and Joseph shot down their cruel resolutions which the dolls should use on the basic those three are already friends so they wouldn't use such methods, which made Dorothy and Ryan feel that the other two shadows sitting opposite them were real killjoys

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I think this scene show us the First floor adults' personalities:

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Ryan and Dorothy are sadistic,cruel,they said cruel things and act very bold so they possibly resort to unethical measures so things would go their ways

Ryan is much more barbaric, it's said in his description that he's "a violent man who has perverse thoughts",he wanted to see losers rather than winners too,he gets angry if everyone wins,the guy said that himself

Dorothy is often more elegant so she wouldn't throw hands unlike Ryan,rather she uses her words,we see her playfully mocking the dolls condescendingly and even laugh when Shaun walked into a trap and fell into a pit hole during the Debut's game. She sounds very strong when she demanded Aileen too

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Sophie and Joseph are calm, reserved,composed. Their ways of speaking are also logical and polite too,not outright insulting like Ryan and Dorothy

Joseph is a logical and calm gentleman pretty much contradict his big size, he provides reasons, information for arguments rather than claiming something which isn't proven right away like what he said above,the mentioned dolls are friends so they wouldn't backstab eachother like what Ryan and Dorothy said they should do. He also pointed out at Dorothy and Ryan's lack of knowledge which is not reading the profiles that were provided on the participants

Sophie is pretty much the same as Joseph,she wouldn't say things based on predictions alone. Dorothy even mentioned when she gets excited she acts unusual to her normal behaviour,her calm demeanor. Just like what Sophie said above,Ryan and Dorothy were talking about what they would've done if they were Shaun and Emilico,which is backstabbing their competitors/friends,to which Sophie counteracted that they aren't Shaun and Emilico so they shouldn't say that. Put it in more bold terms,it's an insult to their lack of knowledge too:"You both aren't Emilico and Shaun so don't go making up stupid what-would-I-do solutions like that. It's a waste of breath". Which added more salt to injuries on what Joseph said before that

Joseph and Sophie were also on par with eachother too, barely a second after Joseph finished his statement, Sophie already continued on and further proven, supported what he said

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Their seatings are also telling of their relationships. Usually you sit with someone you're close with or someone you're on a good term with right? Dorothy and Ryan are seated next to eachother, opposite to them are Sophie and Joseph who are also seated next to eachother

The two pairs are seated opposite to eachother which can implies that the pairs are literally polar opposite correct? It could also even hinted at the relationships of Dorothy and Ryan as well as Sophie and Joseph as having been close with eachother prior to the current time too,maybe since they were in the children's wing?

Yes we saw these four were on a somewhat decent term in the first episode. Sophie and Dorothy were modelling for a portrait together,Joseph and Ryan were playing cards and drinking wine together too. Still it wouldn't mean they have very close relationships,after all Dorothy and Ryan did say Sophie and Joseph were so unlikeable to them, which also means Dorothy and Ryan do not like it when someone disagrees with them

Even when doing the children selections, they go in pairs too, Sophie-Joseph and Dorothy-Ryan. After all why would you go do an important duty with someone you don't like unless forced? It's usually quite unlike that

In conclusion,Dorothy and Ryan usually act bold,mean,arrogant while Sophie and Joseph usually act calm,reserved,logical. Both pairs have a somewhat acquaintances or coworkers relationship

I also theorised that the pairs might be engaged or even married. You see how each pair act with eachother, I heard engagement and marriage mentioned in the story many times now, I don't think that was unimportant, I heard that the children can get engaged so when they become adults,they can get married. It's fun to think about honestly

I even thought that sweater-like upper clothing Joseph is wearing was made by Sophie, since she's butterfly themed,she probably reared silkworms herself and then made a sweater from the silk produced by the silkworms, the texture of Joseph's sweater-like upper clothing doesn't look like it was made from wool. These are just speculations, I'm not that adept in clothing