There are many ships in the Star Wars universe. But if there’s one lesson to learn, deadliness isn’t tied directly with the size of the vehicle. Some smaller fighters could do serious damage depending on the pilot’s skill. Some names include Luke Skywalker, Poe Dameron and, of course, Anakin Skywalker. But it wasn’t until he was Darth Vader that he received a ship capable of his skills as a pilot. That ship made its first official appearance in A New Hope and left its mark on the franchise.
Anakin Skywalker’s skills as a pilot were teased early on in The Phantom Menace with his skills as a podracer. However, his growth occurred in various moments, including racing a speeder through Coruscant and flying above the planet in a Jedi Starfighter. But no matter the machinery he used to showcase his talents, there were none that matched the brutality he had always held in his heart. When he became Darth Vader, this changed as he could finally express himself and his rage by flying the TIE Advanced.
What Was Special About Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter?
Vader’s TIE Advanced was a prototype with a highly unique ability to carry a hyperdrive. Before this, only Admiral Thrawn’s TIE Defender prototype had this capability. However, applying this technology to Vader’s ship was feasible as he had the skills and intuition to ensure it didn’t go to waste. While it doesn’t happen in the films, it was a utility that helped show how powerful it was and how much in the prototype phase it was still in. Aside from that, the standard life support systems, dual lasers and fire cluster missiles made the ship stand out. However, another factor that made the vehicle so powerful was that it also housed a shield generator.
Most TIE Fighters couldn’t carry a shield generator, making them more maneuverable but exponentially more vulnerable. In Vader’s case, this worked best as his ship had heavier artillery and a pilot that knew how to maneuver. That was also possible because this cockpit was modified to work best with his armor. For all intents and purposes, it was a prototype ship made from him and would’ve likely never been mass-produced as only Vader knew how to push its limits and access its full capabilities. As a result, it became a menace in the skies and in space.
What Happened to Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter After A New Hope?
While Star Wars Rebels and the Star Wars comics helped showcase how deadly Vader was with the ship, his skills as a pilot really took shape in A New Hope. During the Battle of Yavin, Vader and a small squad of TIEs guarded the Death Star’s exhaust port, and Vader successfully killed one team. When Luke and his team appeared, Vader destroyed each of them with precision, saving Luke for last, but was brought under fire by the sudden appearance of the Millenium Falcon. Even though this was a minor setback, Vader maintained his composure and tried his best to stop Luke. But in the end, his ship was damaged, and he got sent spiraling into space.
The fate of Darth Vader’s ship has remained slightly open-ended so far. But since the Battle of Yavin, it got repaired and used on many missions, one of which involved Vader finding and working with Doctor Aphra. He also used it to chase down Luke SKywlaker on more than one occasion. Needless to say, Darth Vader made the most out of his time with the TIE Advanced, and its survival so far would imply that it got destroyed with the second Death Star. But it could’ve also been taken out in a fiery blaze of glory fitting for the trail of terror it blazed throughout the galaxy.