What weapon killed Luke's family in ANH?

[Kurgan]

I figured in that scenario they either used some kind of door breaching explosive (not a thermal detonator). I thought I heard rumors that in the early drafts or in early production it was a fusion cutter, but obviously that doesn't account for the "explosion" effect. If it was some kind of "sprayable explosive" or something that ignites like a fuse and then blows out the center, that could be something easily portable in a trooper's utility belt.

The sparks go around the door in a pattern then "boom" and the door bursts into chunks. Not like we'd expect from say focused beams of high intensity blasters (which I would think would be more like what we saw with Qui Gon and the blast door in TPM).

Sorry to get off topic, and thanks for clarifying. I was re-watching ANH and got through some of the scenes we've talked about on here before and had some of my ideas changed, but I'll save that for another thread & time.

[Ace Pace]

What I don't understand, is why Elfdart is arguing that there was something he invents on the spot, is somehow more logical then an official Burn setting on the Blasters that be used to burn till bone?

[Elfdart]

What I don't understand, is why Elfdart is arguing that there was something he invents on the spot, is somehow more logical then an official Burn setting on the Blasters that be used to burn till bone?

Because I'm going by what's actually shown on the screen.

It's more logical to think that the troopers attacked the house first, and in the process, setting the place on fire (the furnishings and such -including Owen and Beru's clothes), shooting them and leaving them to smolder on top of the wreckage. No further explanation is needed.

If the troopers had used some sort of special setting on their blasters, then blasted and torched the premises, why is a skeleton on top of the wreckage?

Explain it.

[Darth Yoshi]

Except if that's the case, then there shouldn't be skeletons, but two charred corpses. Have you ever seen a recent corpse that was cooked to death from its clothing with that kind of damage? Not in the time frame we're talking about. The time from Luke going after R2 to him finding his folks dead is a day at most, more likely a mere afternoon. That is not enough time for all the flesh to smolder away.

[Elfdart]

Except if that's the case, then there shouldn't be skeletons, but two charred corpses. Have you ever seen a recent corpse that was cooked to death from its clothing with that kind of damage?

Not in person, have you? I have seen photos from arson investigations, film footage of a TV show debunking "spontaneous human combustion" and experiments done with pig carcasses wrapped in cloth and set on fire. Some of the results are very similar to what you see in the scene of Owen and Beru's dead bodies. The big difference is you don't see a big grease stain under the skeletons, but then again, they are on sand and not a concrete floor.

Not in the time frame we're talking about. The time from Luke going after R2 to him finding his folks dead is a day at most, more likely a mere afternoon. That is not enough time for all the flesh to smolder away.

First of all, Luke started looking for the droids in the morning. That's why Owen tells Beru "Well he'd better have those units in the south range repaired by midday or there'll be hell to pay." Luke could have returned anytime after that, so there's no telling how long Owen and Beru had been dead.

How long a corpse takes to burn away is HIGHLY variable, depending on how much body fat, wind or other flammable material is nearby. If a fire starts small on a person (a lit cigarette, a candle or other flame source) and is not put out, it can spread to the rest of the body very slowly by burning away human fat. This is called the "wick effect" because it in effect turns a human corpse into a giant tallow candle. Depending on widely variable conditions, it can take a couple of hours or even all day to completely consume the body.

Depending on how long a corpse is allowed to smolder, it can be relatively intact, reduced to a skeleton with some burnt flesh still attached (like Owen and Beru), reduced to a few bones, or even reduced to nothing but a big greasy spot. The last version is what gave rise to the urban myth of so-called "spontaneous human combustion".

[Howedar]

A big puddle of grease on sand is in fact quite visible. Try cooking (badly) over sand sometime.

[Ace Pace]

Because I'm going by what's actually shown on the screen.

It's more logical to think that the troopers attacked the house first, and in the process, setting the place on fire (the furnishings and such -including Owen and Beru's clothes), shooting them and leaving them to smolder on top of the wreckage. No further explanation is needed.

If the troopers had used some sort of special setting on their blasters, then blasted and torched the premises, why is a skeleton on top of the wreckage?

Explain it.

Maybe because they first blasted and torched the premise, THEN burned them.

[Elfdart]

A big puddle of grease on sand is in fact quite visible. Try cooking (badly) over sand sometime.

Most of the grease would be soaked up by the sand. I have sand under my grill at home. Besides, it's hard to spot greasy sand from a distance. Since we don't get a closeup of the crime scene, there's no telling.

[Elfdart]

Because I'm going by what's actually shown on the screen.

It's more logical to think that the troopers attacked the house first, and in the process, setting the place on fire (the furnishings and such -including Owen and Beru's clothes), shooting them and leaving them to smolder on top of the wreckage. No further explanation is needed.

If the troopers had used some sort of special setting on their blasters, then blasted and torched the premises, why is a skeleton on top of the wreckage?

Explain it.

Maybe because they first blasted and torched the premise, THEN burned them.

And then went to the trouble of tossing one body on top of broken masonry and placing the other face-down with its feet in the doorway? Why?

[Howedar]

A big puddle of grease on sand is in fact quite visible. Try cooking (badly) over sand sometime.

Most of the grease would be soaked up by the sand. I have sand under my grill at home. Besides, it's hard to spot greasy sand from a distance. Since we don't get a closeup of the crime scene, there's no telling.

Observe the complete lack of any sort of staining anywhere underneath the body, particularly near the feet. Here there is a sharp corner and vertical walls, meaning the construction is anything but sand. It most likely is some form of concrete.

But no staining. Nothing.

[Howedar]

I would also like Elfdart to explain how the second body (the one on the wreckage, let's call it Beru) ended up where it is in his theory. Did Beru run around out of the door around the pile of wreckage before she succumbed? If she had such strength, why did she not keep running in a straight line away from the fire? Or perhaps she was standing on her head?

One thing is for sure, before the person succumbed to whatever death they suffered, they were standing on the other side of the wreckage from the doorway. This is very difficult to reconcile with a person already on fire when exiting the structure.

The location and orientation of the body makes no sense if the person was already on fire upon exiting the building.

[Connor MacLeod]

Don't you love how he completely ignores the fact that any sort of heat intense enough to burn flesh off of bone (as well as vaporize the water contained in the body) would also damage the skeleton? Modern cremation processes leave little more than ash and bone fragments (the bones as well become very brittle in the process).

This fact alone necessitates some sort of device that can control the application of heat to the target (so as to burn the flesh off the body while leaving the skeleton more or less intact).

Add to that that the ability of blasters to actually DO this is known, whereas Elfdart's claims are a complete unknown, also allows us to rule out his bullshit on the basis of Occam's Razor.

Of course, he'll ignore this because he's absolutely CERTAIN he's right.

[Elfdart]

A big puddle of grease on sand is in fact quite visible. Try cooking (badly) over sand sometime.

Most of the grease would be soaked up by the sand. I have sand under my grill at home. Besides, it's hard to spot greasy sand from a distance. Since we don't get a closeup of the crime scene, there's no telling.

Observe the complete lack of any sort of staining anywhere underneath the body, particularly near the feet. Here there is a sharp corner and vertical walls, meaning the construction is anything but sand. It most likely is some form of concrete.

But no staining. Nothing.

You'll notice that the concrete/ sand around the doorway is darker than the ground further back. Shadow? Grease stain? Burning? And what is that by "Beru's" left shoulder and what looks like a piece of pottery?

In any event, rough concrete (as opposed to the polished concrete used for indoor flooring) also soaks up grease, as anyone with a driveway knows.

[Elfdart]

I would also like Elfdart to explain how the second body (the one on the wreckage, let's call it Beru) ended up where it is in his theory. Did Beru run around out of the door around the pile of wreckage before she succumbed?

Well, running through the wreckage wasn't an option.

If she had such strength, why did she not keep running in a straight line away from the fire?

If flames were billowing out of the doorway (or were about to be), as the blackened interior walls indicate, moving to the side would make sense.

Or perhaps she was standing on her head?

One thing is for sure, before the person succumbed to whatever death they suffered, they were standing on the other side of the wreckage from the doorway. This is very difficult to reconcile with a person already on fire when exiting the structure.

The location and orientation of the body makes no sense if the person was already on fire upon exiting the building.

Sure it does. "Beru" simply tried to flee the fire, was shot and fell backwards. "Owen" didn't make it that far. Whether their clothes were on fire or not as they left the the building has no bearing on what positions their bodies were in. The bodies were where they were in all likelihood because they were shot and left to burn.

[Howedar]

You'll notice that the concrete/ sand around the doorway is darker than the ground further back. Shadow? Grease stain? Burning?

Well I don't know, but it's the same color as the concrete on the other side of the doorway entrance. What, I suppose the grease grew legs and walked ten feet away?

What, I suppose the grease And what is that by "Beru's" left shoulder and what looks like a piece of pottery?

I'll answer your question if you explain why the fuck it matters.

In any event, rough concrete (as opposed to the polished concrete used for indoor flooring) also soaks up grease, as anyone with a driveway knows.

Moving the goalposts again, first the fact that there was no concrete was enough. Now he insists that the concrete must be nice and smooth.

But honestly, I'm starting to wonder if Elfdart has ever seen concrete before. Even ignoring the fact that on a dry world there would be no reason not to have smooth concrete, and the fact that vertical concrete areas would almost invariably be smooth (cheaper that way), and the fact that you've not in any way proven that the concrete at the Lars household was rough, you still see grease pools even on rough concrete surfaces. Even a few mL of oil makes a nice nasty ugly mark on a rough concrete surface. On vertical surfaces, it tends to take even less to make a noticable mark.

Elfdart, are you seriously suggesting that not even a few mL of waste would be left over from the burning of the bodies?

[Howedar]

I would also like Elfdart to explain how the second body (the one on the wreckage, let's call it Beru) ended up where it is in his theory. Did Beru run around out of the door around the pile of wreckage before she succumbed?

Well, running through the wreckage wasn't an option.

Dipshit, the debris ISN'T IN THE WAY OF THE DOOR. THAT'S HOW THE FIRST BODY GOT OUT WITHOUT GOING NEAR THE WRECKAGE.

In fact, the debris is probably ten feet directly to the side of the path of the doorway. Occam keeps getting angrier and angrier, Elfdart. Why did "Beru" run away from the escape route, around the house, towards the wreckage, when she was fucking on fire?

If flames were billowing out of the doorway (or were about to be), as the blackened interior walls indicate, moving to the side would make sense.

Um, no it wouldn't. Common instinct is to run away from fire and smoke, not off to the side.

Sure it does. "Beru" simply tried to flee the fire, was shot and fell backwards. "Owen" didn't make it that far. Whether their clothes were on fire or not as they left the the building has no bearing on what positions their bodies were in. The bodies were where they were in all likelihood because they were shot and left to burn.

EXCEPT THE DIRECTION SHE WAS GOING, SHE WASN'T FLEEING THE FIRE. The way away from the fire would be off to our lower right in that picture. That's not where she was going. To get where she was going, she'd need to go up and out of the stairwell, then turn back towards the fire and smoke to get to the pile of wreckage, where she could then fall over.

Furthermore I defy you to find an example of a running person falling over backwards.



*Edited for spelling*

[Elfdart]

Don't you love how he completely ignores the fact that any sort of heat intense enough to burn flesh off of bone (as well as vaporize the water contained in the body) would also damage the skeleton? Modern cremation processes leave little more than ash and bone fragments (the bones as well become very brittle in the process).

I haven't ignored it, I just realize that what you're saying isn't true as any Google search of "wick effect" or "spontaneous human combustion" will show. Human bodies have been reduced to skeletons, partial skeltons, and greasy spots at very low temperatures -low enough to leave the rooms they are found in mostly undamaged.

This fact alone necessitates some sort of device that can control the application of heat to the target (so as to burn the flesh off the body while leaving the skeleton more or less intact).

No, you're assuming something that isn't necessarily true.

Add to that that the ability of blasters to actually DO this is known, whereas Elfdart's claims are a complete unknown, also allows us to rule out his bullshit on the basis of Occam's Razor.

The Sage of Baltimore's Stilleto trumps Ockham's Razor. "There is always a solution to every problem - neat, plausible, and wrong."

Of course, he'll ignore this because he's absolutely CERTAIN he's right.

No, I considered your theory and found a glaring fault: The placement of "Beru's" body on top of the wreckage. Explain that one for me, and you might have a case.

[Connor MacLeod]

I haven't ignored it, I just realize that what you're saying isn't true as any Google search of "wick effect" or "spontaneous human combustion" will show. Human bodies have been reduced to skeletons, partial skeltons, and greasy spots at very low temperatures -low enough to leave the rooms they are found in mostly undamaged.

ROFLMAO! You think "Spontaneous human combustion" is irrefutable evidence? Man, you clearly did your research.

As for the Wick Effect, Mike's already noted one of the obvious problems (which as I pointed out, you ignored.) Just so you can't bullshit your way out of it based on the "Wick Effect": link

But forensic scientists are now convinced that the cause of such incidents is the so-called wick effect, started by a source as simple as a cigarette.

This means that in certain rare circumstances a human being can burn like a candle.

"certain rare circumstances?" I guess you're counting on coincidence to be part of your theory, eh?

But the fact that human bones were completely destroyed remained a mystery, until now.

"completely destroyed" bones. Gee, that really is consistent with the fact the skeletons were intact.

The victim was consumed by fire except for the legs. Even a wooden table nearby was untouched.

Mr Haggarty said: "There is no way you could explain it. None of the firemen had seen anything like it."

The most recent recorded case in the UK happened in 1992 in northern England.

Again, the woman's legs were left untouched, while the rest of her body was burned to a cinder.

And here we learn that under the "wick effect", parts of the body can remain untouched! Yessir, you're building a REALLY strong case here.

It also explains why only part of the body, the part which is rich in fat, burns while the rest stays intact.

Same as above. Apparently, the amount of fat in given areas can be a factor. Maybe Owen and Beru were really morbidly obese, and simply had high-density concentrations of fat in their bodies! (Which is about as plausible as the rest of the bullshit you've been spouting, so why not specualte out your ass even further?)

No, you're assuming something that isn't necessarily true.

What am I assuming here? The claim that blasters can do this (even though there is ample canon and official evidence for such to be possible, least of all the "Burning" from the Brian Daley Han Solo novels - IE official unless contradicted explicitly by canon?) or that your nonsensical theory is compex to the point of ridiculous and has not the slightest shred of scientific or canon/official proof to back it up?

Or maybe you're referring to the fact I am assuming you are a rational human capable of making logical deductions, and that is not neccesarily true?

The Sage of Baltimore's Stilleto trumps Ockham's Razor. "There is always a solution to every problem - neat, plausible, and wrong."

Wow, THAT really refutes Occam's Razor nicely I guess in your world bullshit solves everything, doesn't it?

No, I considered your theory and found a glaring fault: The placement of "Beru's" body on top of the wreckage. Explain that one for me, and you might have a case.

How is that a "glaring fault", neccsearily? (and lets ignore the irony of you claiming faults in *my* theory while ignoring the ones in yours - ie that you're insisting this so called "wick effect" happened in such a way as to destroy all flesh on the body but leave the bones intact. It would have been more believable if you just said they spontaneously combusted. )

So now what, Elfy? Gonna cook up some sort of cute insulting nickname for me too now that someone else has debunked your BS?

[Elfdart]

The common isntinct is to get away from the fire. A person exiting a tube with billowing flames behind him is going to try to reach a place where the flames can't reach him. Running in the same direction as the tube would allow the flames to reach the person if they were large enough. Moving to one side or the other after exiting the tunnel would be safer than trying to outrun flames you fucking imbecile.

To avoid the flames, "Beru" simply would have to make a left turn when she reached the top of the stairs, plus a couple of steps. And no, shit-for-brains, she didn't need to move to her right to avoid the flames. Left or right would have allowed her to dodge the flames.

If Ockham is getting angry, it's because mongoloid fucks like you invoke his name to advance theories that don't even pass elementary scrutiny, and total horseshit such as:

In fact, the debris is probably ten feet directly to the side of the path of the doorway.

Ten feet? When "Beru" reaches the top of the steps, she is maybe half that far from the debris. That's about two steps for most adults. You make it sound like she has to run a 40-yard dash to get aroung some concrete blocks that are at most a couple of strides away.

Where do running people fall backwards? Cloud City. It TESB, stormtroopers running after Leia and Chewie do it at least twice. Why? Because they've been shot by stormtrooper-issue blasters, you brainless cunt.

As for concrete, I've worked with the stuff since I was twelve. Polished concrete (the kind used for indoor flooring) repels water and grease much more than the rough stuff used for driveways and parking lots. How much of a stain are you looking for? Human fat is more like bacon grease than motor oil. It's not going to leave the kind of stain you see under cars.

I brought up the spot by "Beru's" shoulder because it looks reflective. Spilled liquid from the pottery? A glossy piece of concrete, or simply a darker piece? Melted body fat? Broken ceramics? You tell me.

[The Yosemite Bear]

and as the son of a mechanic I will tell you the absorbtion process still leaves a big fuckin stain, hence the use of catlitter, and a plastic barrier finish on the floor of a properly intiated garrage.

grrr....

I still like my Col. Kilgore suggestion....

they just didn't look close enough to find the sabbac cards.....

[Elfdart]

Debunked? You've proved my point, you putz!

And here we learn that under the "wick effect", parts of the body can remain untouched! Yessir, you're building a REALLY strong case here.

That's right, can remain untouched. The BBC reported that the woman's body (apart from her legs) "was burned to a cinder".

cin·der n.

1. a. A burned or partly burned substance, such as coal, that is not reduced to ashes but is incapable of further combustion.
b. A partly charred substance that can burn further but without flame.
2. cinders Ashes.
3. cinders Geology. See scoria.
4. Metallurgy. See scoria.
5. Slag from a metal furnace.
(from dictionary.com)

Were the Larses "obese"? Depends on your definition, but like most middle-aged men and women, they had some extra pounds by any standard and it wasn't in the form of muscle. Who's to say how long they were left to burn? Or if they would have been reduced to ashes had Luke turned up a few hours later?

As for your theory that the troopers burned them down to the bones as a form of torture, blasted the house, and then deposited the bodies where Luke found them, I have a question: Why?

If wringing information was their goal, how would burning someone to a skeleton work? Surely Owen and Beru would be dead long before most of their flesh was burned off. Why would the troopers continue to mutilate two dead bodies by burning off the rest of their flesh? Dead farmers don't talk. And why would they place one corpse on top of the wreckage and another on the staircase?

[Lord Revan]

Were the Larses "obese"? Depends on your definition, but like most middle-aged men and women, they had some extra pounds by any standard and it wasn't in the form of muscle. Who's to say how long they were left to burn? Or if they would have been reduced to ashes had Luke turned up a few hours later?

As for your theory that the troopers burned them down to the bones as a form of torture, blasted the house, and then deposited the bodies where Luke found them, I have a question: Why?

If wringing information was their goal, how would burning someone to a skeleton work? Surely Owen and Beru would be dead long before most of their flesh was burned off. Why would the troopers continue to mutilate two dead bodies by burning off the rest of their flesh? Dead farmers don't talk. And why would they place one corpse on top of the wreckage and another on the staircase?

You still fail explain why the skeletons remain and why do you think Owen and Beru couldn't have been shot where they are then burned to make look like the Tuskens did it? NO special fire is needed because the Sand people have blasters do known how to use them.

[Stofsk]

As for your theory that the troopers burned them down to the bones as a form of torture, blasted the house, and then deposited the bodies where Luke found them, I have a question: Why?

They were down there looking for the droids.

If wringing information was their goal, how would burning someone to a skeleton work?

Let me rephrase your question: if you want information, what guarantee do you have that torture will work? If you ask Vympel that he'll say "It doesn't, not according to the military brass and training manual" - if you ask a Stormtrooper GRUNT that he may reply with the stunning "I was following orders." Maybe he was, you never know. Vader may have ordered it personally or the Commander in charge did it because of a "no witnesses" policy.

[EDITED] To make it seem a little clearer.

Surely Owen and Beru would be dead long before most of their flesh was burned off. Why would the troopers continue to mutilate two dead bodies by burning off the rest of their flesh? Dead farmers don't talk. And why would they place one corpse on top of the wreckage and another on the staircase?

It's called truth and perception, the first two casualties of war. The stormies arrive at the homestead, which is where they tracked the droids movements. They ask questions, they don't get any answers. Or maybe they got the answer straight "They're in Anchorhead! With my nephew - please god, don't hurt him!" Of course, you have witnesses. On a planet which has vicious Sandpeople who routinely attack settlements, few would question the destruction of one small homestead, in particular considering the consequential destruction of a Jawa sandcrawler which has evidence of sandpeople attack.

So they burn the bodies, trash the place, and arrange the bodies to make it look like they were fighting or whatever. Then they go to Anchorhead to grab the droids. Oh wait, Obi-wan is onto them. He knew the Jawa's weren't hit by Sandpeople. Which means Luke knows that Beru and Owen weren't killed by accident either. And given that Anchorhead was the deliberate falsehood he fed to his Uncle and Auntie, it makes sense that they go to Mos Eisley instead.

[Elfdart]

As for your theory that the troopers burned them down to the bones as a form of torture, blasted the house, and then deposited the bodies where Luke found them, I have a question: Why?

They were down there looking for the droids.

If wringing information was their goal, how would burning someone to a skeleton work?

Let me rephrase your question: if you want information, what guarantee do you have that torture will work? If you ask Vympel that he'll say "It doesn't, not according to the military brass and training manual" - if you ask a Stormtrooper GRUNT that he may reply with the stunning "I was following orders." Maybe he was, you never know. Vader may have ordered it personally or the Commander in charge did it because of a "no witnesses" policy.

[EDITED] To make it seem a little clearer.

Surely Owen and Beru would be dead long before most of their flesh was burned off. Why would the troopers continue to mutilate two dead bodies by burning off the rest of their flesh? Dead farmers don't talk. And why would they place one corpse on top of the wreckage and another on the staircase?

It's called truth and perception, the first two casualties of war. The stormies arrive at the homestead, which is where they tracked the droids movements. They ask questions, they don't get any answers. Or maybe they got the answer straight "They're in Anchorhead! With my nephew - please god, don't hurt him!" Of course, you have witnesses. On a planet which has vicious Sandpeople who routinely attack settlements, few would question the destruction of one small homestead, in particular considering the consequential destruction of a Jawa sandcrawler which has evidence of sandpeople attack.

So they burn the bodies, trash the place, and arrange the bodies to make it look like they were fighting or whatever. Then they go to Anchorhead to grab the droids. Oh wait, Obi-wan is onto them. He knew the Jawa's weren't hit by Sandpeople. Which means Luke knows that Beru and Owen weren't killed by accident either. And given that Anchorhead was the deliberate falsehood he fed to his Uncle and Auntie, it makes sense that they go to Mos Eisley instead.

Thank you.

Your explanation at least makes sense. Deliberately trashing the place and placing the bodies to make it look like the work of sandpeople seems plausible since they did the same thing to the Jawas.

But the Jawas were not burned into little skeletons. Surely if there was a special "burn" setting used specially for torture, they would have used it on the Jawas, too. And why waste the time to strip the last bits of flesh from the Lars's skeletons if they were going to frame the Tuskens for it, anyway. If there was a special setting on the troopers' blasters, wouldn't the condition of the corpses be a giveaway as to who did it?

Keep in mind that no gaderffi sticks or bantha tracks are seen in the shots of the homestead, so is it necessarily the case that the stormies actually were trying to frame the sandpeople?

[Stofsk]

But the Jawas were not burned into little skeletons. Surely if there was a special "burn" setting used specially for torture, they would have used it on the Jawas, too. And why waste the time to strip the last bits of flesh from the Lars's skeletons if they were going to frame the Tuskens for it, anyway.

Maybe they did? We didn't see every body, just some of them. It could be possible they tortured the Jawa captain, and his burnt corpse is in the sandcrawler control room. All the other Jawas were just shot and left to rot in the sand.

If there was a special setting on the troopers' blasters, wouldn't the condition of the corpses be a giveaway as to who did it?

I don't know about that, except I don't think it necessarily follows a stormtrooper rifle is the only weapon capable of doing this 'burn the skin off the body' trick.

Keep in mind that no gaderffi sticks or bantha tracks are seen in the shots of the homestead, so is it necessarily the case that the stormies actually were trying to frame the sandpeople?

They may have been pressed for time at that point, remember time is of the essence here. The quicker they get there the better their chances. Taking the time out to plant evidence at the Jawa sandcrawler scene might have been necessary - although speculation, consider that perhaps the Jawa sandcrawler has more prestige in the local community, so much so that news of one being hit by the sandpeople will register more with all the outlying settlements; then you plug a little add-on, that the Lars homestead was also hit within a close time frame, and people will just accept that the sandpeople did both. You link one site to one cause, and the other site gets linked to the same cause - in people's minds - because they happened close to each other, there is seemingly no reason, sandpeople are attributed to one place so why not the second place etc.

With the direction of the droids being fed to them, and with incriminating evidence already provided at the Jawa scene, maybe the stormtroopers said "Fuck it!" and left.