Noble Ire wrote:Perhaps they were worried about hitting something important. After all, that deep into the station, and especially in the core, there's plent of stuff around that wouldnt respond well to being shot. Certainly, the Rebels posed a higher threat than a miss-fire, but in a situation like that, the Tie pilots may not have been thinking very clearly
Sure. I understand and agree with some of this, especially if we feel the Imperial pilots feared that their laser fire could have destroyed the reactor.
And there is some suggestive evidence for this from the first film. In ANH, we are given a very specific reason for why torpedos were chosen over laser cannons: the thermal exhaust port was ray-shielded requiring the use of torpedo weapon. The impression that I get from the Rebel Commander's line is that a torpedo weapon was chosen over the cannon for the simple reason that it could penetrate the shield, not because it was the sole weapon that could destroy the reactor. Thus, the possibility exists that laser cannons could have destroyed the Death Star and perhaps the Imperial pilots were aware of this.
However, it would surprise me that not accidently damaging Death Star components would be firstmost on the Imperial pilots' minds. The impression that I am getting from this thread is that we feel that the majority of the Imperial fighters came from the ships of the Imperial Fleet, not from the Death Star. Why would fighter pilots from Executor's squadron have intimate knowledge of what structures are vital within the Death Star? How would they know what the internal reactor looks like or what weapons could damage the structure? How would they know when they could engage a target and when they couldn't? It is probably sensitive information.
We do see one fighter open fire and destroy an Xwing in the upper stages of the tunnels. Do we feel that this pilot felt that this particular section of the tunnel was non vital and thus it was safe to shoot the Xwing? Very little - none cannon fire is seen after the Xwing is destroyed despite the fact the fighters are still flying through a similiar looking section of the Death Star. I find it hard to believe that the Imperial fighters were making split second judgement calls on what areas of the tunnel were vital while trying to navigate through an extremely dangerous and confined area.
The majority of the chase takes place in connecting tunnels persumably built for easy construction access to the Death Star's internal areas. These are extremely confined tunnels in which there is little to no room for evasive manuever. In ANH, we see how quickly an attacking squadron of fighters can be destroyed by fighters attacking their rear. Doesn't it surprise you that more Rebel fighters were not destroyed in the Death Star tunnels that appear to offer less room for evasive manuevering then the original polar trench?
I see several explanations:
1) The Imperial pilots were given strict orders to open fire on Rebel fighters entering the Death Star only if a clear shot was provided with little to no chance of causing collateral damage to any section of the Death Star. One pilot had the opportunity to take a clear shot and destroyed one Xwing fighter. Due to trench obstructions, bifurcations, and corners, no other pilots had clear shots. One pilot had a second opportunity to shoot but was only able to get off one shot that missed the falcon in the cavity.
2) The Imperial pilots did not recognize the danger the Rebel fighters posed to the Death Star. Perhaps they picked up a few fighters, followed them into the Death Star, and were waiting for a more optimal time, to open fire on the fighters. Perhaps they quickly realized the tunnel itseld was the greatest danger and focused solely on surviving. Perhaps they were hoping to chase the fighters back into open space and destroy them their unless a easy kill presented itself.
3) The Imperial pilots were overconfident, cocky and wanted the perfect shot. One pilot had an Xwing in a spreadeagle silhouette and destroyed him. Future opportunities did not occur.
4) The explanation in the OP.
Of course, there could be other reasons that I have not thought of. I think I am split between #1 and #2.
OT: I have always felt that the ROTJ tunnel sequences lacked the emotional attachment and suspense of the ANH trench runs. The ROTJ shots, while beautifully done and certainly deserving of their eyecandy accolades, never struck me the same way.
