The fighter was equipped with adeflector shield generator, alife support system, and ahyperdrive; unlikeTIE/LN fighters and other members of the TIE Line.^[3] Its armament was limited to a pair of twin fixed-mountlaser cannons, and it was capable of firingcluster missiles. The interior of the TIE was modified to Vader's specifications, and was customized to work withVader's armor.^[2]

History[]

"I knew my clock was ticking the second you stepped off your TIE fighter."

―Chelli Lona Aphra submits to Vader to end her life if he so chooses^[22]

At one point the starfighter had incurred damage. Efforts were made to repair the starfighter onboardDarth Vader's flagship Star Destroyer, but unfortunately, the repairs proved to be unsuccessful. TheImperial officer responsible for reporting the problem to Vader met an unfortunate demise due their perceived lack of determination in the repair attempts.^[23]

During theSiege of Lothal, Vader utilized his starfighter during hisattack onPhoenix Squadron in4 BBY, after tracking a stolenshuttle back to the fleet. In the aftermath of his solo attack, Vader managed to destroy much of the fleet, including sixA-wing starfighters and thecommand ship.^[9]

Vader pursuing Rebel fighters in the Death Star trench.

The ship also saw action during theBattle of Yavin in0 BBY. During the battle, it was escorted by two handpicked Imperialpilots flying standard TIE/ln space superiority starfighters. After destroying many of theRebel starfighters, it spun out of control when one of Vader'sBlack Squadron wingmen collided with it in attempting to avoid cannon fire from theMillennium Falcon. TheDeath Star was destroyed byLuke Skywalker soon afterward.^[5]

Vader, in his TIE Advanced, dogfights the pirate corvette

After Vader's defeat atYavin, and hissubsequent failure onCymoon 1, Vader was demoted by hisSith Master, and placed under thecommand ofGrand General Cassio Tagge.^[24] Vader submitted to his punishment, and soon, after a layover onTatooine, Vader met Tagge aboard hisSuper Star Destroyer Annihilator. Soon thereafter, Vader boarded the fighter and went to the aid of anImperial shuttle who wasunder attack frompirates. He arrived in the fray just as thepilot of the shuttle blew up theshuttle to prevent the pirates from stealing their cargo. Vader fired on thepirate ship, arobotic CR90 corvette, destroying atorpedo. He then ordered his two wingman,Black 2 and3, to follow his lead in destroying the now fleeing corvette. Vader was able to evade the pirate ship's fire long enough to disable the corvette's engines using the twin laser cannons. Vader then returned to theAnnihilator, tracked the pirates back to theirbase of origin anddestroyed it.^[12]

Vader soon left Tagge's company, and went in search of a roguearchaeologist,Doctor Aphra. Vader used the TIE Advanced to travel to several different worlds to track the doctor down, before discovering that Aphra was onQuarantine World III inKallidahin Space. Vader and the TIE then traveled to the quarantined world and touched-down in one of itshangars. However,Utani Xane, Quarantine World III'sCurator, was alerted to Vader's presence by one of herB2-series super battle droids who had noticed the Dark Lord's arrival. Vader quickly dispatched Xane and herbattle droids, and requested Aphra join him.^[13]

The TIE Advanced docked with the Ark Angel — The TIE Advanced docked with theArk Angel

She agreed, and Vader took the fighter, and docked with the doctor's ship: theArk Angel. The two discussed Vader's plans, and eventually made way to the planetGeonosis in theArkanis sector tosteal a droidfactory to build an army of unquestionably loyal battle droids for the Dark Lord's personal use.^[22]

TheArk Angel, with the TIE Advanced still attached, traveled through hyperspace to Geonosis, where Vader, Aphra, and new recruitsBT-1 and0-0-0—a pair of specializedassassin droids—were dropped down to thedesert surface of Geonosis. Not long after, theArk Angel, on Aphra's orders barraged the location of ahoming beacon she had placed, blowing a massive hole in the ceiling of alair where the factory was located soVader's J-type 327 Nubian could extract the factory. Later, the team returned to theArk Angel, with the TIE Advanced still docked, and created twoplatoons ofBX-series droid commandos tostorm DoctorCylo'sresearch base; to eliminate Vader's rivals for the Emperor's favor.^[25]

During thebattle, Vader engaged theX-wing starfighters, and managed to take out bothBlue Squadron andYellow Squadron, as he lost contact with Aphra. Vader was then confronted by Luke, who was flying asRed Five, and flew his X-wing into Vader's starfighter, hoping to kill him. During the collision, theirstabilizers were damaged prompting their craft to crash on the planet's surface.^[14]

DuringCrimson Dawn'swar against the Sith, Vader flew his Advanced in askirmish on Calior against rogue Imperial agents.Chief Regional Auditor Cygnus Anton, a servant of the Empire who had secretly joined Crimson Dawn, was killed when Vader destroyed hisAll Terrain Scout Transport with his Advanced's lasers.^[21]