In the first three Star Wars films, the TIE fighter is a terrifying symbol of the Emperor's might. And though they darted about on screen and often appeared to be little more than specks before rebel Luke Skywalker blew them out of the sky, TIE fighters are big: an imposing 29 feet tall by 25 feet wide, to be exact.
Since the 1970s, toy manufacturers have sought to recreate these imposing spacecrafts with varying degrees of success -- and now, Lego has created the best version yet.
The company unveiled its Star Wars Ultimate Collector's Series Tie Fighter, model number 75095, at the New York Toy Fair on Tuesday. The new TIE fighter is, at 18.5 inches tall by 12.2 inches wide, twice as large as the now-retired Lego model 9492. That's larger than most Hasbro TIE fighter toys (many are a little over 1 foot tall), and a lot more detailed than Lego's previous TIE fighter creations.
Users must build the new fighter from 1,685 pieces, so it may be a while before they can truly admire its details, including an opening top hatch and transparent front windows. The model also ships with a TIE fighter pilot Lego minifigure, complete with his own blaster, as well as pieces to create a stand.
The new gray and black TIE fighter costs $199.99 and arrives in May, well before Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens hits theaters in December.