Chekhov's Gun
A principle most often seen in drama that states that every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed.
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Origin
Originated from a quote by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, who said that "If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired." Chekhov was emphasizing the importance of economy and consistency in storytelling, and the idea that every element in a story should serve a purpose.