The TIEs look fantastic. It's so awesome that the amateur 3d models of today look as good as the professional 3d models of 1997!
Norman: It's looking better. I think you're on the right track with making the shape more defined (rather than an amorphous blob). I'd say if you can, contour the "top" of it more, so perhaps we get the hint of the "thumb" portion so it appears like it could be a type of hand. That would be more believable. The costume glove would be just rubber, but if it were a real creature you'd expect some more contouring and that it wouldn't completely retain it's shape after it'd been sliced off and tumble to the ground. More subtle texturing also helps.
Perhaps something can be done about the "burnt off stump" to make it appear a little crisper? It appears a little too blurry right now. And the smoke perhaps could be done a little more convincingly?
Finally, it still looks a little too "clean." I know you guys all want the blood completely gone, but perhaps some ash chunks that have broken off from the stump as it hit the floor? After all, if this weapon creates a cut with 3rd degree burns along the edge, it'd be like charcoal, and that stuff crumbles off when struck.
What else? I half thought it would be cool to have the thing twitch or something (that'd show us it was truly a hand!). But maybe that's too hard to do.
