  In this paper we study the orbit closure problem for a reductive group
$G\subseteq GL(X)$ acting on a finite dimensional vector space $V$ over $\C$.
We assume that the center of $GL(X)$ lies within $G$ and acts on $V$ through a
fixed non-trivial character. We study points $y,z\in V$ where (i) $z$ is
obtained as the leading term of the action of a 1-parameter subgroup $\lambda
(t)\subseteq G$ on $y$, and (ii) $y$ and $z$ have large distinctive stabilizers
$K,H \subseteq G$. Let $O(z)$ (resp. $O(y)$) denote the $G$-orbits of $z$
(resp. $y$), and $\overline{O(z)}$ (resp. $\overline{O(y)}$) their closures,
then (i) implies that $z\in \overline{O(y)}$. We address the question: under
what conditions can (i) and (ii) be simultaneously satisfied, i.e, there exists
a 1-PS $\lambda \subseteq G$ for which $z$ is observed as a limit of $y$. Using
$\lambda$, we develop a leading term analysis which applies to $V$ as well as
to ${\cal G}= Lie(G)$ the Lie algebra of $G$ and its subalgebras ${\cal K}$ and
${\cal H}$, the Lie algebras of $K$ and $H$ respectively. Through this we
construct the Lie algebra $\hat{\cal K} \subseteq {\cal H}$ which connects $y$
and $z$ through their Lie algebras. We develop the properties of $\hat{\cal K}$
and relate it to the action of ${\cal H}$ on $\overline{N}=V/T_z O(z)$, the
normal slice to the orbit $O(z)$.
  We examine the case of {\em alignment} when a semisimple element belongs to
both ${\cal H}$ and ${\cal K}$, and the conditions for the same. We illustrate
some consequences of alignment. Next, we examine the possibility of {\em
intermediate $G$-varieties} $W$ which lie between the orbit closures of $z$ and
$y$, i.e. $\overline{O(z)} \subsetneq W \subsetneq O(y)$. These have a direct
bearing on representation theoretic as well as geometric properties which
connect $z$ and $y$.
