"And Nerfherder: Good idea there! Whether conceivable or not, I understand there is more to it than just the visual "cool" factor, not to mention it would also connect to the Red Leader "negative... it just impacted on the surface" let-down moment and "Oh no! What are they going to do now?!"

Haha thanks man. And I hadn't considered that line you mention... my God it seems tailer made for this very scene! I've seen this ending in my mind's eye for the past 13 years now and I'd LOVE to see it realised even just as stills. It just seems so powerful and really turns Vader into a tragic hero - he saves the Rebellion during it's darkest "how the hell are they going to turn this around" moment.....

Still the other ideas I'm slowly reading about seem just as awsome :)