Proposition: A pruned clone is not a healthy reference

If the reference is captured after deleted coordinates have been zeroed, then

at those coordinates. Reopening their masks and applying the scaled-restoration rule initializes them to zero for every finite $\alpha$.

If all other effective parameters and controls are unchanged, this operation leaves the immediate forward function unchanged, even though the active mask changes. Subsequent learning can differ because eligibility changes.

Proof. Multiply zero by $\alpha$. The effective coordinate before and immediately after reopening is zero. The mask change can allow a later stored derivative or update.