It’s not my “giant leaps of reinterpretation” as you put it. For example (just one) Rav Moshe Feinstein says that moshiach doesn’t necessarily need to fight physical waters, but spiritual wars can fit the bill… That’s one example…
Not necessarily. Gimmel Tammuz is just the accepted, most comfortable term Lubavitchers use, and
I use it too. (A more complex answer would explore the theme of Yaakov lo meis although chantu chantaya etc.)
So answer to op so far has been The Rebbe. Anyone else anyone else is considering someone else?