Star Wars' newest TV show,Andor, makes TIE Fighters even cooler than they have been in the franchise’s entire history.Andorseason 2’s storybegins with the titular rebel on an undercover mission for Luthen. Cassian is tasked with entering an Imperial base linked to Sienar, the company responsible for crafting the manyvariants of TIE Fighter models inStar Wars.
Once there, Cassian’s task is relatively simple: steal a prototype TIE Fighter. This kickstarts the first arc of the newest ofStar Wars’upcoming TV shows, allowingAndorseason 2 to begin with an exciting dogfight scene through a snowy canyon. However, what makes this sequence even better than most flight scenes fromStar Wars’many moviesis just how cool the variant of TIE Fighter is that Cassian flies.
And Andor Season 2 Proves This
Image via Disney+
The variant in question is the TIE Avenger, a ship that has only appeared inStar WarsLegends beforeAndorseason 2. The TIE Avenger immediately looks cooler than other TIEs, thanks to its wings that point to a center on either side. Beyond that,Andorseason 2 showcases just how dangerous this variant of starfighter truly is when Cassian steals it.
The TIE Avenger has an array of weaponry, from the regular cannons of TIE Fighters to an explosive bomb-like projectile. Aside from weaponry, the TIE Avenger likely has other elements a regular TIE lacks, be it powerful shields or a hyperdrive. Finally, it seems faster and more durable than regular TIEs, as proven via the chase scene inAndorseason 2, episode 1.
Because The Empire Has A Bigger Focus
Naturally, withAndorproving how strong TIE Avengers are, the question becomes why the Empire did not make more of them. The simple reason is that the TIE Avengers simply cost too much to make. TIE Fighters, with their lack of shields and hyperdrive cores, were easy to mass-produce without spending too much money. This could not be said for more advanced TIEs.
Star Wars Rebelsproved as much, with Thrawn’s own TIE Defender project having to prove its worth before the Emperor agreed to it. Thanks to the rebels on Lothal, this did not happen as Thrawn’s project was deemed too expensive to focus on over something like the construction of the Death Star. For likely similar reasons, the Empire also refused to produce TIE Avengers in bulk, explaining whyAndorseason 2 is one of the rare live-action appearances of the vehicle variant.
