You're right about the skin oil being the real problem. I use those same gloves when I handle my own lenses now. A clean microfiber cloth is good for glass, but it just smears oil around on the mirror or prism. The gloves stop the mess before it even starts. It's one of those small habits that saves a lot of frustration later.

Honestly, it's just comics and movies... not a final exam. People get so worked up about who's a "real" fan. Like @riverg75's story, the kid was there to have fun, not get quizzed. That dad had it right with "let people enjoy things." We all started somewhere, and gatekeeping just makes the whole scene feel mean. If someone likes the thing, that's good enough for me.

Remember how quiet it gets right before the sky explodes?

Yeah, and honestly it's not just about the back rows. @karen_wells is right about those shields, but the bigger miss is not checking the water quality history first. If the place has had bad feed water for years, those tubes are toast no matter where they are. A quick chat with the building manager about their maintenance logs can save you from a surprise. That old scale buildup weakens everything, so a visual check alone won't show the whole story. Skipping that talk is what really gets you.

Wait they charged you eighty bucks just to read the manual back to you? That's insane.