Breadcrumbs can be hijacked, manipulated, reordered, edited, disabled, or deleted via Javacript very easily as long as scripting is enabled and active in the browser (like on virtually everyone's browser except for the very few large penised giga-chads (or large vaginaed giga-fems in tech circles that disable all that entirely)).

So realistically, I think you're completely wrong in this assertion. I think breadcrumbs are a lot like breadcrumbs if you look at breadcrumbs the way you've presented breadcrumbs.

But also, H & G were children. Their breadcrumb scheme was creative and clever by child standards, even if it did not quite work out.