aalenfae said:

Ah right, now I remember The Cutter's idea.
It was just so jarring, I think.

And the reason I said things fell apart was because of how the ending is originally edited. But thinking through how I have it edited right now, her dying is actually kind of forced-feeling now.

So I'll explore The Cutter's idea, but I'm still not sure if I like it.

Dude, I adore the Cutter's ida.

Think about it. How did Padme die? Not knowing is actually better. It's a mystery we not only don't need to know, but it actually helps retain the air of mystery the prequels lacked. It leaves it up to the audience to decide.

It's like in Avatar: The Last Airbender. They never revealed how Zuko's mother died.