doubleofive said:I think a shockwave in any form is a good idea. It seems in the original that Alderaan just sort of popped like a balloon when hit, which I don't think works very well for a planet. Since the Death Star is basically overpowered reactor and metal, I think its alright and even more dramatic when it just pops.
A shockwave from an explosion in SPACE, which is a vaccum, wouldn't be pancaked into a narrow ring. If you're going to show a shockwave in a vaccum have it radiate in all directions at once. IMO much more believable that way.