Spoilers follow.

Continuity within a serialized narrative can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there's no more rewarding feeling to be watching a film or TV series and seeing a character or plot point referenced (or, even better, paid off) from several movies or seasons prior. It's confirmation that the filmmakers care enough about the series to have been paying close attention to it, and it's validation for the fan who feels like their time watching diligently over the years has been well spent. On the other hand, a series with tight continuity can feel intimidating, even alienating, for audiences not already inducted or in the know. And on the filmmaking side of the equation, having to abide by an increasingly long list of set-in-stone plot points, characters, and other rules

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