Cyberbeagle said:

G E Predator said:

This is just my honest opinion, but I don't think any of those Old Republic starships from Episodes 2 and 3 would have been necessary for ANH:R. For one thing, Tarkin says during the briefing that "The last remnants of the old Republic had been swept away," and any vessel from the Clone Wars would be considered remnants of the old Republic. Starships and Trooper army most likely underwent changes for this reason. Also, Episode 4 already has plenty of links to Episode 3. Luke and Obi-Wan's discussions on Tatooine are a good example, as well as the few but comprehensive mentions of the Senate.

And about the Alderaan explosion, I think Lucasfilms did do an appropriate job of it. The explosion should be instantaneous.

What I assumed by that statement was that was *institutionally*... the army, navy and the stormtroopers are very obviously inherited from the Republic.

Yes, they were, an the statement was probably institution. Also, I think that after Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, he didn't want to have all those reminders of his old life: The senate, the republic vessels, etc. Any reminder of who Vader used to be is also a reminder of Padme, and I'm sure the Emperor didn't want Vader to continue to obsess over his greatest lost.