Hasbro Star Wars Power of the Jedi TIE Interceptor Review

Back in 1984, six years after Kenner Toys introduced its then-revolutionary Star Wars toy and collectibles line and one year after 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm Limited released Star Wars - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the Cincinnati-based company rolled out its version of the dreaded Imperial TIE Interceptor.

Based on the Empire's speedy and heavily-armed starfighter seen during the Battle of Endor sequence in the climactic third movie of the Classic Star Wars Trilogy, the TIE Interceptor vehicle was an adequate toy/Star Wars collectible which had its share of strengths and weaknesses.

 Like the first (and unsatisfying) version of Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x-1 starfighter, the original TIE Interceptor was essentially a standard TIE sphere with the new dagger-style bent-wings.

Of course, this is not a design cheat (unlike Darth Vader's first TIE fighter), and at least the coloring was Imperial gray rather than the 1978 white TIE Fighter and it was accurate as far as the proportions were concerned.  The 1984 TIE Interceptor retained the front "transparisteel" cockpit window and the top "clam shell" hatch of the standard TIE fighter vehicle (again, not a problem), and you could accomodate a TIE Fighter pilot figure inside the cockpit.

As in the other TIE variants, battle damage was simulated by separating the wings from the cockpit "ball" using two hidden buttons that activated springs in the "gripping tubes."


However, the TIE Interceptor's authentic look was marred by three other holdover features from the basic Kenner TIE: the laser "cannon" light, the battery pack on the back end of the sphere, and the labels used to simulate the small wafery solar panels that line the dagger-like bent wings that give the TIE Interceptor its distinctive look.

The laser light was simply a carry-over from the basic TIE Fighter. You placed two AA batteries in the battery pack on the back -- which added a flat protruberance to the otherwise spherical TIE body -- and the laser light at the centerpoint of the TIE's "chin" lit up. There was a sound effect added as well. Not the blood-curdling scream of the Imperial fighters, nor was it the distinctive sound of laser cannons. Nope. It was the same wimpy whine associated with Kenner's X-Wing and other TIE fighters of that era.

The TIE Interceptor's first version also lacked molded and painted solar panels on the wings. As in all the TIE variants released between 1978 and 1985, the wings were solid gray plastic; the "wafered solar panels" were on sheets of stickers, with all the inherent flaws and problems attendant to such add-ons.

You had to be careful applying the stickers, otherwise they'd be crooked, creased, or with unsightly bubbles where a pocket of air had formed between label and plastic surface. Worse still, even in the unlikely event that the stickers were perfectly placed, the glue eventually dried up and the wings shed their now-brittle labels. Vehicles shielded from sunlight often lasted longer, for obvious reasons, but the labels eventually did peel off no matter what precautions were taken.

When Hasbro acquired Kenner Toys in the early 1990s and resumed production of the Star Wars action figure lines in anticipation of the 20th Anniversary and the subsequent prequel trilogy, a decision was made to dispense with the stickers, beginning with the Power of the Force's rebooted version of Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x-1;  this version not only had the Dark Lord's fighter's distinctive fuselage extension and bent wings, but it also had more realistic detailing, including molded solar panels.

The Power of the Jedi TIE Interceptor:

Exceptionally fast and higly maneuravable, the TIE Interceptor's design made it an impressive adversary when the Alliance launched its all-or-nothing attack to destroy the second Death Star above Endor. With blaster cannons firing, swarms of TIE Interceptors were dispatched to engage the Alliance's fighters, unleashing a furious defensive assault to protect the Death Star. Though gallant in their efforts, the TIE Interceptors could not defeat the Alliance, and the Death Star was obliterated. - From the package blurb 

The TIE Interceptor was reissued in 2001 as part of the 2000-2002 Power of the Jedi line that encompassed figures, vehicles, and other collectibles from not only the Classic Trilogy but also Episode I as well.

It was a Toys R Us exclusive, but I was very fortunate because my best friend is also a collector and was keeping a close watch for the new shipments, so I now own one. I opened it -- a rare case of not caring if it lost value because it's not in the box -- and can therefore make a few observations.

First, it's a bit of a hybrid, a mix of the old Kenner toy vehicle design and the new, advanced Hasbro-produced TIE variants (Vader's, the TIE Bomber, and the 2003 TIE Fighter remake).

The wings are now fully factory-detailed, with the solar panels molded and painted. The wings also still have the classic spring-activated "Battle Damage" feature that lets you simulate catastrophic events such as an encounter with an asteroid or a blast from a Rebel laser cannon.

However, rather than cast new molds for a total upgrade, the TIE Interceptor "ball" is just the 1980s design with no electronics. Where the red laser light once was there is now an orange "bump" between the chin blasters. The battery pack is no longer a battery pack; it's a handhold, but it looks identical to the storage compartment from the old vehicles.

The cockpit is still the top-loading clamshell design that opens so you can place the Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot figure (included in the package) in the crew compartment.

Weapons and Accessories : 

• Unique Imperial Pilot
• Activation Button "Blasts" Wings from Interceptor
• Wing SFS L-s9.3 Laser Cannons
• Cockpit Canopy Opens for easy Pilot access.
• Blast Apart Wings

The figure itself is a better, more articulated version of the original TIE Fighter pilot. Whereas the 1980s version just sat there (or stood there) staring fixedly to the front, the 21st Century upgrade can move his head from side to side and has bendable knees. The costume (basic black flightsuit with silver belt buckle and Imperial insignia on both helmet and shoulder patches) is also rendered with a tad more detail than the original figure. As a collector, I appreciate the added value of a figure that once came separately.

My Viewpoint: As a Star Wars fan from way back, I would have loved to give the TIE Interceptor a five-star rating, but I have to dial back my enthusiasm a notch and give it four instead.

Given the fact that Hasbro went the extra mile to redesign the wings so they didn't need the labels anymore, I think the decision to use at least part of the original 1984 mold with its battery pack/handhold to save money (at least that's my theory) and time to produce the new version mars the vehicle's otherwise authentic look.  Sure, the handhold makes the vehicle easier to hold if kids are playing with it, but for those of us "oldsters" who want the TIE Interceptor as a static display item, it was an unnecessary gaffe.

Another factor in my rating is Hasbro's insistence on keeping the "battle damage" feature.  Okay, so simulating explosions or battle damage is cool if you're a kid, but eventually the spring mechanisms in the "gripping tubes" wear out and will no longer grip the "solar panels" firmly. 

In addition, the springs themselves may come out with the "battle damaged" wings and perhaps even injure a child trying to repair the toy.

Still, the TIE Interceptor is a nice addition to any Star Wars collection.  It looks cool and wicked, just as anything used by the evil Empire should!