Jim writes: << If Amidala dies, that might be a surprise, as it's clear from RotJ that Leia remembers her from when she was little. But then, Lucas has never been what one might call a stickler for following even his own continuity. >>
Please. This is so trey obvre it's unbelievable. Anakin is a dupe in a plot to form a new democratic republic of the Empire, some of the cabal include Yoda, Obi-Won and Amidala as lovers, Dooku and some of the other Jedi. There's no other possible ending, though episodes 7-9 are open to diverging paths.
