Why have lego released so few Darth Vaders tie fighter over the years?

B0SSK

Surely it must be time for a new DV tie fighter??

I am new to lego star wars but i really want the set.

CCC

It has been a while, ~5 years now.

They don't seem to like putting Vader in cheaper sets any more though.

B0SSK

Lets hope 2015 is the year for a new set. Seems odd how there have been many AT-AT and star destroyer sets compared to DV's ride :)

gmonkey76

Might have something to do with movie time. Vader's TIE was a one off ship in one movie. While there was 5? AT-AT in Empire and 1 in Jedi. The star destroyer was in all 3 original movies and there was a lot of them. Just my 2 cents.

beegeedee

It is puzzling how vader only appears in larger sets. I lucked out and got the new falcon for cheap. A vader tie fighter would be sweet too.

CCC

beegeedee said:

It is puzzling how vader only appears in larger sets.

It's not really that puzzling. If you want a key character, you have to buy a large set. I assume that is the thinking behind it.

Geddes

Im guessing @B0SSK‌ is leg0boy, if I'm wrong i apologise @Huw‌

CliqChris

I'd expect a UCS version of Vader's tie fighter at some point.

beegeedee

CCC said:

beegeedee said:

It is puzzling how vader only appears in larger sets.

It's not really that puzzling. If you want a key character, you have to buy a large set. I assume that is the thinking behind it.

Luke, R2 and C3PO are all key too IMO and yet you can get them in small sets for a reasonable price. I've got at least 3 of each in various guises. Yet I only have a single chewie from the falcon set and vader as well.

I don't even understand why vader is in the set...not that I'm complaining.

CCC

^ Yes, they give a few of the main characters out (multiple times) in many small sets, then reserve one key character for big sets only.

hoyatables

The same sort of thing happened with LOTR -- you could get Gandalf in many sets, but Legolas was only available in the stupid Mines set (despite the fact that he was a natural fit for Helm's Deep). And Gimli and Aragorn seem to be in many sets as well, yet Boromir is only in -- again -- the Mines set.

CCC

Legolas was repeated in the Pirate Ship in wave 2. I guess as Boromir copped it fairly early on, they decided one was enough.

madforLEGO

They used to put all (or many) of the figures in 'magnet' sets where you could take them off of the magnet like a reg minifigure(though i think Chinese made, so quality is a bit hit or miss), but Hasbro/Kenner got wind of it and put the kibosh on it saying they were 'action figures' and Hasbro/Kenner have the exclusive rights to 'action figures' for SW, so LEGO had to glue down the figures after that to appease the licensing agreement. AS a result no cheap Vaders anymore. LEGO is smart, you want the 'main cast' of the original trilogy? You will likely have to pay as much as they can get away with for them.

xowainx

Given that they are the definitive and iconic Empire fighters, there are a surprising lack of TIE Fighters and their variants in Lego. The last Interceptor was 2006, the last Bomber 2003 and before the 2012 TIE Fighter, the last version of that was 2005. No idea why, maybe the Rebel fighters are just a lot more popular.

BrickDancer

CliqChris said:

I'd expect a UCS version of Vader's tie fighter at some point.

There already is one, #10175

zipsforbananas

beegeedee said:

Yet I only have a single chewie from the falcon set.

You've only got on Chewie? I've got loads of the fellow, and it's especially noticeable as he hasn't changed a bit in years!

I wonder if Lego lost the plot a while back on making sure the main characters were all available in cheaper sets and were evenly spread. I imagine Vader's TIE Fighter was the set that ticked the box to say they'd made him available cheaply, and we're now so far round into remakes and the third, fourth or more-th incarnation that it's not something anyone at TLG checks any more.
I mean in the last two years we got Han with blue trousers in the chibi set and the Cantina, and Han with brown trousers in the A-Wing and Ewok village sets, and then only a year after a pilot Luke was available in the X-Wing set we got another version in with the Hoth Battles set, and now another update in the 2014 Snowspeeder set.

B0SSK

Well I do hope someone at lego decides it time for the darth vader tie fighter to make a come back. Something so popular would surely be a top seller if priced appropriately? I mean this year we have had yet another snowspeeder, B-wing (which I might buy!) AT-AT, star destroyer, anakin's yellow starfighter etc etc..

By the way, when are the 2015 sets normally announced? (only been collecting lego star wars this year).

ecmo47

^I'd love to see it get the same treatment as #9492. I really hope that Lego does all the TIE's to match as that would make some very cool "squadron" displays.

binaryeye

B0SSK said:

By the way, when are the 2015 sets normally announced? (only been collecting lego star wars this year).

The list of the first wave of 2014 sets was leaked in mid-August last year, with images following a couple days later.

Ra226

@B0SSK‌ #8017 (from 2009) is still a very good system-scale Vader's TIE. But I agree, it might be nice to get a new version with the techniques used in 2012's TIE.

B0SSK

Thanks guys.

Mathias

I'm sure we all agree that we look forward to a newer variety of sets based on the new Rebels tv show and the new movie for Christmas next year. But I would like to see another tie fighter as that is one I have yet to add to my collection.

beegeedee

zipsforbananas said:

beegeedee said:

Yet I only have a single chewie from the falcon set.

You've only got on Chewie? I've got loads of the fellow, and it's especially noticeable as he hasn't changed a bit in years!

Yup. I'm a fan of Star Wars and not a collector because I object to a lot of the inflated price per pieces going on. It get that it's licensed but my collection is a bit random. I missed out on the tie fighter and x-wing but I got the falcon 50% off from argos so it was a no brainer. It's a bit like that with super heroes which I do collect but try and wait until they are discounted.

GIR3691

Vader's Tie would make an excellent Chibi set. I missed the previous initially but picked one up last year. We need another cheap Vader set.

A throne room with electrified Vader would be neat. Trans-lt-blue helmet, skull face, and whatnot.

faefrost

Vader has shown up in some cheaper sets. The Palpatines Shuttle from the end of RotS was not a particularly large or expensive set?

I think it is more they only tend to have 1 Tie anything out at a time, and some of the more iconic ones have longer shelf lives. They also decibe what to make based on price point, and a DVD Tie or regular Tie sit in that very subject crowded mid price range. We get a ton of Jedi Interceptors because they are easy to do at the $20 price point.

[Deleted User]

Would be fun with a new "Final Duel I" (# 7200) - since 2002, where you did get Darth Vader and Palpatine for only $ 7.
Not to mention "Final Duel II" (# 7201) - with 3 minifigures for $ 7.
I am happy to own both.

RomanticWarrior

^Ha. Those were the good ol' days. I don't think we'll ever see another SW set smaller than the Battle Packs. And we'll only generic characters in sets under $20.

roxio

^ #75030 ?

RomanticWarrior

;) my bad.

CCC

There have been so many of him, Han Solo is a generic character now isn't he?

RomanticWarrior

CCC said:

There have been so many of him, Han Solo is a generic character now isn't he?

still waiting for that chrome Hoth Han

B0SSK

Changing the subject slightly, I just purchased the UCS sandcrawler, man that box is HUGE !! Also, I do hope that the microfighters continue next year. I have all 6 and recently I saw them priced down to around £6.50 in the UK. I have been collecting sets ready for my man cave which is a spare room in our house. Me and my Son will be displaying all the lego starwars in the room :)

B_Holls

@B0SSK‌ there is going to be a next wave of micro fighters here's the list along with the other sets for 2015 winter wave.
Microfighters

75072 ARC-170 Starfighter
75073 Vulture Droid
75074 Snowspeeder
75075 AT-AT
75076 Republic Gunship
75077 Homing Spider Droid
Normal scale sets

75089 Geonosis Troopers
75079 Shadow Troopers
75080 AAT
75081 T-16 Skyhopper
Star Wars Rebels

75078 Imperial Troop Transport
75090 Ezra’s Speeder Bike
75082 TIE Advanced Prototype
75083 AT-DP
75084 Wookiee Gunship

B0SSK

Thanks mate, great news re the microfighters continuation into 2015. Which of the other sets for 2015 from the original trilogy please?

binaryeye

^ Only the T-16, apparently.

BrickDancer

I guess TLG heard our moans about OT rehashes and decided for having almost no OT in the next wave. Damn double-edged sword!

Aanchir

BrickDancer said:

I guess TLG heard our moans about OT rehashes and decided for having almost no OT in the next wave. Damn double-edged sword!

It could also be that the number of Rebels sets cuts into the number of OT sets the same way the number of Clone Wars sets cut into the number of PT sets for a long time. And let's not discount the possibility of retailer exclusives, which often don't get leaked along with most other set names.

zipsforbananas

It's funny that the T-16 is the only OT set announced so far, but isn't the key thing there "so far"? The last couple of years have been this way and OT sets have come out later on.

I do find it funny saying the T-16 is an OT set too. You see a model of it and the side of a parked one a couple of times, and it's mentioned once. That doesn't seem like a lot!

B0SSK

I think there may be a new Vader tie fighter in the 2015 pipeline. Fingers crossed !!!!! By the way, anyone know anything about the 75078 troop transport? Will that be from OT :) or the newer movies? :(

iso3200

B0SSK said:

I think there may be a new Vader tie fighter in the 2015 pipeline.

^The same person who told me about the detective agency back in June mentioned this to me last week.

It's a UCS Vader Tie. She didn't indicate timings or price point, but my personal suspicion is that it will be the last quarter of 2015.

Again, this info was unsolicited - it came up as I was discussing the #10179 I'm in the process of bricklinking.

No other details I'm afraid except that it is going to happen.

CapnRex101

^ There are a hundred ships I would rather see a UCS model of than another Vader's TIE.

iso3200

^In many ways, it's not an obvious choice. Vader won't even be a character in the new films. I guess it's just to appeal to OT fans who missed the last one.

jediami65

@capnRex101 a UCS Cloud City would be nice too, I wouldn't expect it to be to scale to fit the UCS Slave l but #10188 Death Star size and playability would make a great set.

BrickDancer

I hope that's not true of another rehash. And Vader's TIE was the second least (TIE Interceptor) enjoyable build of all the UCS SW sets IMO. Fingers crossed this doesn't come to fruition. At least make it another variant like a Bomber.

jediami65

I would add a Jedi Temple and Jedi Council to the list of UCS sets that would better than a Vader Ship now. I have the Hasbro version of the Jedi Council (pictured) a Lego version would be sweet.

Jal4u2c

Actually, from what i've read, Vader will be in Episode 7 in some kind of flashback sequence. So there could be an ounce of truth to it.

zipsforbananas

It's JJ Abrams, time travelling could well be involved! He has form... in fact I'm surprised he's not been hired for Doctor Who yet!

BrickDancer

He killed Trek before it got off the line with that whole premise. Such a hack writer thing to do 'time traveling/alternate reality' on such a big & important property. I pray the collective strength of the SW team in charge would prevent such cheap tricks.

LegoManiacc

I hope it's not used on SW either, but time travel has been used in Star Trek more times than I can count before Abrams ever used it.

Shib

Seeing as SW is a direct continuation I'd say it's fairly unlikely because ST was a reboot it needed something to help the new audience into the universe, if they'd made a film just for the existing fans of ST I think it would have been a bit of a flop, most likely old fans wouldn't like the recasting.

B0SSK

In my opinion, anything other than the original trilogy movies is not star wars. (Yes I am an old git in my early forties !!).