[step:Prove reflection by induction on formula complexity]
Let $\alpha \in C$. We prove by induction on formulas $\varphi(v_1,\dots,v_n) \in \Sigma$ that for every tuple $(a_1,\dots,a_n) \in V_\alpha^n$,
\begin{align*}
V \models \varphi(a_1,\dots,a_n)
\quad \iff \quad
V_\alpha \models \varphi(a_1,\dots,a_n).
\end{align*}
For atomic formulas, the assertion follows because $V_\alpha$ is transitive: for $a,b \in V_\alpha$, the truth of $a=b$ and $a \in b$ is the same in $V_\alpha$ as in $V$.
The Boolean cases follow directly from the induction hypothesis. For example, if $\varphi \equiv \neg \psi$, then
\begin{align*}
V \models \neg \psi(a)
&\iff \text{not } V \models \psi(a) \\
&\iff \text{not } V_\alpha \models \psi(a) \\
&\iff V_\alpha \models \neg \psi(a).
\end{align*}
The case $\varphi \equiv \psi_0 \wedge \psi_1$ is identical, using the induction hypothesis for both components.
It remains to handle the existential case. Suppose
\begin{align*}
\varphi(y_1,\dots,y_m) \equiv \exists x\,\psi(x,y_1,\dots,y_m),
\end{align*}
and let $(a_1,\dots,a_m) \in V_\alpha^m$.
If $V_\alpha \models \exists x\,\psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m)$, then there is $x \in V_\alpha$ such that
\begin{align*}
V_\alpha \models \psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m).
\end{align*}
By the induction hypothesis applied to $\psi$,
\begin{align*}
V \models \psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m),
\end{align*}
so $V \models \exists x\,\psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m)$.
Conversely, suppose $V \models \exists x\,\psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m)$. Let $F_\varphi$ denote the witness-bound function associated to the existential formula $\varphi$. By the definition of $F_\varphi$, there is some $x \in V_{F_\varphi(a_1,\dots,a_m)}$ such that
\begin{align*}
V \models \psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m).
\end{align*}
Since $\alpha$ is closed under $\mathcal{F}$ and $(a_1,\dots,a_m) \in V_\alpha^m$,
\begin{align*}
F_\varphi(a_1,\dots,a_m) < \alpha.
\end{align*}
Therefore $x \in V_\alpha$. Applying the induction hypothesis to $\psi$ gives
\begin{align*}
V_\alpha \models \psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m),
\end{align*}
and hence
\begin{align*}
V_\alpha \models \exists x\,\psi(x,a_1,\dots,a_m).
\end{align*}
This completes the induction.
[/step]