Chekhov's gun

Etymology
. The principle was articulated by Russian playwright and reported in various forms.

Proper noun

 * 1)  A dramatic principle that states that every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed.
 * 2) An element that is introduced early in the story whose significance to the plot does not become clear until later.
 * 1) An element that is introduced early in the story whose significance to the plot does not become clear until later.
 * 1) An element that is introduced early in the story whose significance to the plot does not become clear until later.

Translations

 * Finnish: Tšehovin ase


 * Esperanto: fusilo de Ĉeĥov
 * Finnish: Tšehovin ase
 * French:
 * Japanese: チェーホフの銃
 * Russian: че́ховское ружьё, ружьё Че́хова