All of the main TIE Fighter variants from the Star Wars movies have been turned into LEGO sets, but it doesn’t have to stop there.
For some LEGO Star Wars fans, the recent release of 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs TIE Interceptor marked the end of a 17-year wait. Despite being one of the few TIE Fighter variations in the original Star Wars trilogy, the Interceptor has only been in a LEGO set three times – and the last one was in 2006.
Now that the Interceptor has finally made its comeback, all four main types of TIE Fighter have been available as LEGO sets within the last decade. 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs TIE Interceptor, 75347 TIE Bomber, and 75300 Imperial TIE Fighter are all available for purchase right now, making this the first year that all three of these TIEs have been on shelves at the same time.
75150 Vader’s TIE Advanced vs. A-Wing Starfighter, a starship two-pack that surely served as inspiration for the modern Interceptor and Fang Fighter pack, was retired in 2016. This makes seven years since the last TIE Advanced (if you don’t count the mid-scale one in 75251 Darth Vader’s Castle). Logically, this ship would be the next in line to be remade, but there are actually a lot of TIE Fighters in Star Wars canon that haven’t been adapted into bricks yet.
Let’s take a look at which TIEs still need to make their LEGO debut, and how likely they are to be made into a set.
TIE Reaper
This large, unusual-looking TIE is different from most of its fellow Imperial ships in more ways than one. Sure, it looks different (which would certainly make a LEGO version stand out from its peers), but it’s also not a starfighter. Despite its fearsome name, the TIE Reaper is used as a troop transport. This of course means that a LEGO set depicting the ship would have plenty of room to store minifigures.
The Reaper originally appears in Rogue One, a movie that has not been represented by LEGO sets since the initial two waves of sets near the film’s release. It also appears as an Inquisitor transport in Jedi: Fallen Order, another Star Wars property without many LEGO sets. The TIE Reaper could be a great opportunity to bring either this movie or game back to LEGO.
TIE Command Shuttle
When we said that there were only four TIE fighter variants in the original trilogy, we kind of lied. See, the TIE Command Shuttle, a bomber converted into a transport, actually makes an extremely brief blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. This ship is a little too similar to the TIE Bomber to be released any time soon, but down the line it could be a neat deep cut.
TIE Whisper
This is another one that looks a little too similar to a recently-released TIE (the Interceptor), but could be an interesting set in the future. This is the second specialized TIE Fighter piloted by Kylo Ren, which already makes it notable. The striking red-and-black colour scheme is just a bonus.
TIE Echelon
Also known as the TIE assault shuttle, this heavily-armed transport is used by the First Order, and, once again, Kylo Ren. Displayed prominently in Galaxy’s Edge at Disney parks, this ship makes an imposing impression on anyone who gets to see it in real life. 75293 Resistance I-TS Transport has proven that the LEGO Group will make sets based on ships from Galaxy’s Edge, so it seems like only a matter of time for the TIE Echelon.
Outland TIE Fighter
This TIE Fighter, famously used by Moff Gideon in the first season of the Mandalorian, looks just like a standard-issue TIE – but it has some hidden features. Unlike most TIE Fighters, the Outland version has retractable landing gear and foldable wings, allowing the cockpit to land level with flat surfaces. While this ship’s specialities would certainly make interesting play features, this is another one that’s a little too similar to an existing LEGO set to be made quite yet.
Honourable Mentions
There are far too many TIE Fighters to include them all on this list, so here are a few honourable mentions. The unique wing shape and yellow colour scheme of the Mining Guild TIE Fighter would make an eye-catching LEGO set. The TIE Brute from Solo: A Star Wars Story could be a great way to bring the film back to LEGO. And the First Order TIE Bomber would be a welcome addition to the relatively small lineup of LEGO First Order ships.
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