OK, adding the ESB scene to ANH:
I don’t think it is out of place and I don’t really care about the look of Vader’s suit. It’s close enough.
But that’s just me. And I’m probably in the minority…
Maybe this is needed, but here’s MY problem with the way the scene is now (in ESB SE DVD):
Vader: What is thy bidding my master?
Palpatine: There is a great disturbance in the force.
Vader: I have felt it.
- - -Oh! This sounds interesting! Let’s continue…
Palpatine: The young rebel who destroyed the Death Star. I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker.
- - -OK, wait a minute. Palps is just NOW bringing up the Death Star? After all this time? This seems odd-…
Vader: How is that possible?
- - -OK, WAIT! What is going on here? If Vader can sense Luke has a twin sister (ROTJ), why can’t he sense his son in the first place?
Is Vader playing dumb? I think we all assume so. But why? Well, he’s been searching for “Skywalker” from the beginning of the film-…Wait, we don’t really have time to reflect on it, because here comes the next line…
Palpatine: “Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You will know it to be true.”
It’s confusing and kind of convoluted.
I guess that’s why I like these lines of dialogue in ANH because these questions don’t come up. Palps can bring up the Death Star and offspring subject and it doesn’t feel out of place. Vader can question the probability of it because he hasn’t started to hunt Luke down. This actually BECOMES the reason Vader hunts down Luke.
I think I like your 3rd suggestion/option, CC. My only concern is that Palps wouldn’t look very threatening/menacing/emperor-y if we had to squish him into Vader’s TIE. But I DO think it’s still an option.