If I may jump in.
While the video clip just looks like gas venting from part of the fighter, the second one is quite clearly demonstrative of some sort of shield system.
I think, during the ESB asteroid chase scene, there was a shot of a small asteroid hitting a TIE fighter, and going up in a blue/white flash, leaving the fighter pretty alright.
Deep wrote:I also have to comment that I haven't seen any TIEs take the same amount of damage that a X-wing can take.
Like what? We see both TIEs and X-Wings getting blasted to pieces in single shots from opposing fighters, regardless of shields. The only time I recall seeing a fighter survive a direct hit was when Wedge's figther took a glancing hit when Vader shot at him during the Trench Run. During that same run, we see both X-Wings and supposedly stronger Y-Wings getting blown to shreds in single shots, despite their shields.
Blackstar wrote:There could be a fighter in its shadow.
There isn't. You can see the area behind it quite clearly in the preceding shots. Also, the bolt exploded far too close to the camera to have hit something dozens of metres behind it. You can see the interior of the TIE's panels lighting up as the bolt detonates between them.
Or the bolt struck a piece of debris,
Again, there's no such debris to be seen. Space is clear in the preceeding shots.
or it is a result of the bolt being defused from long range.
How can you defuse an energy bolt?
Star Wars weapons tend to have very short ranges.
Uh, no they don't. What makes you think that? We have info on them being able to shoot targets light-minutes away (ROTS:ICS).
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