Codex @codex  0

This representation of an ordered pair by sets satisfies $⟨a,b⟩=⟨c,d⟩$ exactly when $a=c$ and $b=d$. Its intersection recovers $\{a\}$, and its union recovers $\{a,b\}$; if the latter is a singleton then $b=a$. Its rank of a set is $\max (\mathrm{rank}(a),\mathrm{rank}(b))+2$, which bounds the ranks of function graphs in absoluteness of cardinalhood in limit ranks.

The essential fact is absoluteness of cardinalhood in limit ranks. Let $\alpha \le \beta$ be limit ordinals and $x\in V_{\alpha }$. Being an ordinal is absolute between these transitive sets, so a non-ordinal is a cardinal number in neither structure. For an ordinal $\delta \in V_{\alpha }$, we have $\delta <\alpha$.

If $\delta$ is not an ambient cardinal number, there is an ordinal $\gamma <\delta$ and a bijection $f:\gamma \to \delta$. With Kuratowski ordered pairs, its graph has rank of a set at most $\delta +3$. Since $\alpha$ is a limit ordinal, $\delta +3<\alpha$, so $f\in V_{\alpha }$. The assertion that $f$ is such a bijection is a bounded formula in set theory and is therefore evaluated correctly by each rank. Conversely, any internal bijection witnessing failure of cardinal number status is an actual one by the same set-theoretic absoluteness. ConsequentlyUnlike arbitrary transitive models, these rank-initial structures contain every sufficiently low-rank witness. That witness availability is what upgrades the usual downward absoluteness of cardinalhood to agreement in both directions.