THE RULES OF FAN THEORY:

1) All creators are omniscient about anything related to their work.

2) The showrunner oversees all production personally, even props & background art.

3) A director will always choose "paying off" an easter egg over drama, characterization, or realism.

4) Every single aspect of a show is meticulously planned and wholly deliberate.

5) Making shows is easy & inexpensive. Nobody ever does something just because it's simpler or cheaper.

6) Characters exist and act independently even when not on screen.

7) All media symbolism operates on a strict 1:1 ratio. Each symbol signifies precisely one thing, which is consciously chosen by the creator and can be correctly and finally determined by a close examination of the "clues."

8) Nothing is ever random. Creators never script anything, ever, unless they are absolutely certain of its full thematic and plot significance.

9) It's all about you.