TVC Darth Vader's Tie Advanced
12/1/2025
The Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced was released in October 2025 as a Hasbro Pulse exclusive for $139.99 + tax. However, only a few weeks after its initial debut, the vehicle expanded far beyond its exclusive status and was made available through the full fan channel, including Amazon, GameStop, and Entertainment Earth (along with similar pop culture outlets), making it much easier for collectors to add to their shelves. You can currently (December 2025) pick your own ship up here: Amazon | Entertainment Earth
A New Interpretation of Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
This release is an entirely new interpretation of Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced from Star Wars: A New Hope. It features a newly sculpted design with updated proportions that more closely match the on-screen vehicle than the earlier versions—particularly the 1990s Power of the Force 2 iteration.
Beautiful Late-’70s Packaging
The vehicle arrives in stunning double-racetrack Star Wars packaging inspired by the late 1970s. The presentation is a standout feature—arguably one of the most attractive Vintage Collection boxes released to date. The retro styling, clean layout, the random floating Darth Vader head and bold photography echo the earliest Kenner releases and make this box extremely display-worthy.
What’s Inside the Box?
Despite the large packaging, the contents are minimal. Inside you’ll find the main body and two wings that plug into each side. In addition, Hasbro included two attachments for the left wing, allowing collectors to choose between a clean look or a battle-damaged panel—a feature not previously seen on a Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced.
There is no instruction sheet included and no stickers are needed or supplied.
Exclusive Darth Vader Figure
Hasbro included an exclusive Darth Vader action figure packed on a unique card back created specifically for this release. The figure itself is a reissue (here is the original figure), featuring the same sculpt and accessories as its prior release, but the packaging is unique. It's currently, as of 2025, the best 3 3/4" Darth Vader figure based on the original Star Wars.
Lack of Paint & Missing Detailing
One of the biggest disappointments is the vehicle’s absence of paint applications. The starfighter is molded in a flat gray with no weathering, scorch marks, or subtle shading. While the optional battle-damaged wing panel features distressing, the rest of the ship appears spotless—an odd mismatch that makes the vehicle feel unfinished when displayed with the battle damaged wing.
The sculpted details on the inside of the wings and cockpit are crisp, but the lack of weathering on those details prevents them from truly standing out.
No Landing Gear, Display Stand, or Electronics
The TIE Advanced has no landing gear, causing it to rest on its wings—just like older versions of the toy. This feels like a missed opportunity, especially since the Black Series Snowspeeder received custom landing gear specificially designed for the toy (have a look at our review here), and the N-1 Starfighter from The Mandalorian included two sleek display stands (one translucent and one with a black base, have a look at our review here). No such stand is provided here.
There are also no electronic features of any kind. Darth Vader's Tie Advanced isn't seen too often on screen, but it does make an appearance in Star Wars: Rebels with Darth Vader standing on top of the cockpit while the spot light on the front of the ship is illuminating the ground underneath. It would have been nice to see a light added here so that this particular scene could have been recreated.
Cockpit Details & Missing Targeting Computer
Darth Vader fits inside the cockpit, but it's difficult to have him grab the handles properly. Collectors may notice the absence of the targeting computer decal on the Tie Advanced instruments as shown in the promotional photos and packaging art. The ship does not include a sticker for this feature, nor is it pre-applied.
No Breakaway Panels or Accessory Storage
Beyond the swappable battle-damaged wing, there are no removable panels, hidden compartments, or interior features. There are no surprises and no discoveries. There is also no storage spot for Darth Vader’s lightsaber hilt, a small feature which could have easily been implemented (we've seen features like this many times in the almost 50 year history of 3 3/4" Star Wars toys).
1997 POTF2 VS 2025 TVC
Here are comparison pictures of this 2025 version of Darth Vader's Tie Advanced fighter versus the 1997 vehicle from the Power of the Force 2 series. As you can see there are color differences and the new 2025 is bigger, longer and more accurately sculpted. There are also no play features or shooting rockets on the 2025 Tie Advanced vehicle.
Is It Worth $139.99?
While the vehicle features the most accurate sculpt of the TIE Advanced ever released in The Vintage Collection, the high price point is difficult to justify. Considering the lack of paint, accessories, electronics, stand, or landing gear, the release feels more like an $80–$100 item rather than a $140+ premium vehicle. Again, compare it to the N-1 Naboo Starfighter which cost the same amount and you'll see that you most certainly get less here in the box.
Final Thoughts
Despite its shortcomings, the Vintage Collection Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced is the best version of the ship available in the 3 3/4" scale. The sculpt is excellent, the retro packaging is a highlight for boxed collectors and it looks cool on display.
If you want the latest and the greatest, then this Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced is the one to buy. But with widespread availability—including Amazon—it may be wise to wait and see if price drops before adding it to your collection, and with the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027 approaching, you have a good chance at finding one discounted over the coming years as it sure will stay in rotation at fan channel retailers for a while. You can currently (December 2025) pick your own ship up here: Amazon | Entertainment Earth
