They represented Livia. Tony and Carmela had arguments but not like Johnny and Livia had. You see the same headbutting from those John and Livia had when. Tony and Gloria or Svetlana were having. Marchand had passed away and they used a substitute on the staircase, which is why the figure was in darkness, so you could not see her clearly. The house was Tony's Purgatory.

You know they really should have used Al Sapienza in place of Steve Buscemi to really drive the point home, but I am sure David Chase was annoyed by Sapienza that he had his calls blocked or did not return them.