ES 1.0 update - why are fields returns an array when fields parameter is used?

"By always returning arrays, this simplifies user code."

Can someone please tell me how this simplifies user code? If I index an array, I expect an array back and I have nothing more to do than fetch the "_fields". If I index a value, say first_name, why on earth would I want to parse through "_fields" and pull out the value from an array? Very unhappy with this change.