muddyknees2000 said:

I never felt that it was the same probe crashing twice. Planets are big things, and that probe is never shown moving very fast...would make sense to land more than one to scan an entire planet.

Exactly how I've always thought about it too. Another reason why I had thought so is because the narrative in SW has a linear chronology and never before have we seen it jump around.

Something else I used to think until I got older was: when you see the probe float/fly off screen away from the crater then it shows the aerial view on Luke.. because of how one shot lead into the other, I used to think that aerial view was actually the POV of the probe, which catches glimpse of life (a man [Luke] riding a creature) but continues on to possibly find other more substantial evidence (the shield generator). I'm curious has anyone else ever thought this before, or am I the only one? :)

I don't think it's wrong either way to interpret it as a single crash or two separate crashes, or POV probe view or just an aerial establishing shot.. but it is interesting learning about other people's interpretations (that is, if it doesn't conflict with anything else we see/hear, haha).