Disney just released brand-new footage of Disney, details about Andor season 2 have been kept under wraps for the most part, these new clips from Disney reveal some of the exciting updates to come in the show's second season.

One of the most exciting clips of those Disney just released includes Cassian Andor sitting in the cockpit of what seems to be a TIE Avenger, a model of TIE fighter that was curiously discontinued in Star Wars. The video, posted to Star Wars' official Instagram, shows Cassian's friend Bix Caleen telling Cassian they need a pilot and cuts to Cassian in the TIE, ready to take off. The shape of the wings and the place in the timeline mean this is likely the TIE Avenger, which has fascinating implications for Andor season 2 - and the Empire.

The TIE Avenger Is Unlike Any TIE To Date

The TIE Avenger's Features Make It So Much More Powerful

Although the TIE Avenger is not entirely new in Star Wars, this appearance in Andor season 2 marks the TIE Avenger's on-screen introduction in Star Wars canon. The TIE Avenger did play a role in Legends, but in canon, it was only ever a prototype, and it hadn't yet been shown in Star Wars movies and TV shows. In addition to this being an exciting update for the starfighter, it has major implications for Star Wars and raises some fascinating questions.

The TIE Avenger's design is closest to Darth Vader's TIE fighter, in that it is equipped with both shields and hyperdrive.

The TIE Avenger's design is closest to Darth Vader's TIE fighter, in that it is equipped with both shields and hyperdrive. These distinctions make the TIE Avenger much more difficult to destroy, which would have been incredibly helpful to the Empire. Not only did the TIE fighters' lack of shields and hyperdrive give Imperial pilots a massive disadvantage compared to the Rebel fighters, but this design also meant that pilots would die rather than learn when in battle.

Despite the clear advantages of the TIE Avenger, the model was discontinued in Star Wars for unknown reasons. While certain elements of the design went on to influence other starfighters, such as Thrawn's TIE Defender, the model itself was seemingly abandoned. This makes the Avenger's appearance in the Andor season 2 footage all the more intriguing and exciting.

The TIE Advanced In Star Wars Legends

The TIE Advanced Played A Much More Significant Role In Legends

The TIE Avengers - originally known as the "TIE Advanced" - were introduced in the popular Star Wars: TIE Fighter games, where they served as formidable opponents because they could take a lot more punishment than standard TIEs and had much more dangerous weapons. They were nicknamed "Brights" by the rebels, and they were feared by X-Wing pilots. There were marked similarities with the TIE Interceptor - notably the pointed dagger solar arrays - and some had different shaped cockpits.

The TIE Advanced became known as Avengers to differentiate them from Darth Vader's own ship.

This model of TIE Fighter represents an entirely new military strategy by the Empire—one that recognizes that brute force isn't going to be enough to win. This no doubt became clearer to the Empire over time, as the Rebellion proved to be more than just a nuisance. Ultimately, even in Legends, the TIE Avenger was superseded by yet another of the TIE fighter variants, the TIE Defender.

Will Andor Explain Why The Empire Never Made A Fleet Of TIE Avengers?

Given The Abilities Of This TIE, It's Odd They Weren't Used

In addition to presumably giving Cassian a major leg up in his fight against the Empire, the inclusion of the TIE Avenger in Andor season 2 could finally answer a major Star Wars question: why didn't the Empire make an entire fleet of TIE Avengers in canon? Clearly, the Avenger's design had a number of significant advantages, many of which the Empire desperately needed. Throughout the original Star Wars trilogy, the Empire's lack of shields and general inability to defend itself were revealed to be weak points.

Imagine, for example, if the Empire had used TIE Avengers during the Battle of Yavin. The TIEs pursuing Luke Skywalker down the Death Star trench wouldn't have been destroyed with Han's first shots, and would therefore have killed him before he could destroy the battle-station. The addition of TIE Avengers would have literally rewritten Star Wars history.

It would make sense for a TIE model like the Avenger to be a priority, as it would have meant much better defenses for the pilots and therefore for the Empire more broadly. Possibly, Andor season 2 will reveal what precisely went wrong with the TIE Avengers (including, perhaps, Cassian stealing this one - likely a prototype). Even if Star Wars leaves that question a mystery for now, though, it is genuinely exciting to know that a TIE Avenger is coming in Andor season 2.

Source: starwars