Darth Vader's TIE Fighter

Name: LEGO Darth Vader's TIE Fighter 8017
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 8017

71 · RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: BBB2008251 pcsHigh agreement · 90%

Expert reviews

5analyzed

Owner ratings

314

BrickScore

Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"A well-regarded upgrade over earlier TIE Advanced releases, set 8017 earns its Recommended verdict on the strength of a movie-accurate gray color scheme and an impressive redesigned Vader minifigure, though fragile wings and finicky missiles keep it out of must-have territory. Owners back that read with a 4.53 average across 314 ratings and a 93% recommendation rate."

Reviewers consistently praised this 2008 update of Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1 as a significant improvement over earlier blue-winged versions, citing the movie-accurate gray color scheme and a newly redesigned Vader minifigure as headline attractions. With a BrickScore of 70.5 and a Recommended tier verdict, the set earns its place as a solid Star Wars entry rather than an essential one, kept back primarily by structural issues and a contested price. Owners align strongly with that positive tilt, giving it 4.53 out of 5 across 314 LEGO.com ratings, with 93% recommending it.

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LOVED (7)

01Gray color scheme replacing older blue bricks, making the ship far more movie-accurate
02Redesigned Darth Vader minifigure with more detailed chest plate and scarred face underneath the helmet
03New silver lightsaber hilt and dedicated clip underneath the ship to store it during play

+4 more with Collector

CRITICIZED (7)

01Wings are prone to wobbling and can detach during active play or if dropped
02Flick-fire missiles are inconsistent and difficult to fire reliably
03Darth Vader's cape makes fitting him into the cockpit awkward and requires bending

+4 more with Collector

Build Facts what critics report

⏱ Build time

~40 minutes

🧩 Difficulty

beginner

🎯 Audience

collectors

In Their Words most-used terms across every critic review

designcockpitplayonlymissilesdetaildarthvaderincludedflick-fireexcellenttorsocurvedwingeasilygoodwingsprintedpanelduringshiplooksflatlimitedcapestillstoragefall

What reviewers are saying

Critic quotes from 2 more reviewersUnlock See a premium example →

Ecosystem

Y-Wing (2008) — TIE Advanced has less greebling detail on top compared to the Y-Wing from previous year, making it less detailed in that aspect.

6212 X-Wing Fighter — Would make a great pair to recreate the famous trench scene from the original trilogy.

6211 Imperial Star Destroyer 45 — Older Darth Vader minifigure shows differences in face (new is more cartoonish) and torso design; new torso is a major improvement.

TIE Interceptor (2006) — If recolored from blue to gray/bley, it would look significantly better—more accurate, less retro, and less obnoxious than the blue version.

Star WarsInvestment Grade

By Reviewer · 1

Avg score

EuroBricks

Expert Video Source · avg of 3

BUY

"Blast the Rebels with Darth Vader's TIE fighter! Straight from the original Star Wars movie, the TIE Advanced x1 is Darth Vader's personal starfighter!"

Key Pros

✓Excellent minifigure with superb detail on Darth Vader helmet and torso
✓Movie-accurate TIE Advanced x1 design
✓Impressive printed curved panel

Key Cons

✕Wing attachment points are fragile and prone to damage
✕Cockpit floor easily falls out during play

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Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Critics discussed this set's investment case

Buy-now vs wait consensus, value drivers, exclusivity and resale outlook

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Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (1)

Darth Vader (Death Star torso)

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Curved cockpit windscreen piece
Movie-accurate and sleek in appearance; part of a trend of increasingly large curved LEGO pieces with limited MOC utility.
Printed curved panel on top of ship
Impressive printing on a sloped and curved piece; raises the question why other flat sticker pieces were not printed instead.
Pearl silver lightsaber hilt
Upgrade from previous drab light gray; reviewer would have preferred chrome but acknowledges this is an improvement.
4x4 disc with printed design (above cockpit)
Printed part instead of sticker, improving detail and avoiding the tedium of sticker application.
Cockpit windshield with printed design
Printed part instead of sticker, avoiding sticker application.
2x2 hinge piece (replaces older 1x1 clips)
Improved cockpit stability compared to previous TIE models.