Are TIE fighters significantly better than X-Wing fighters?
In The Force Awakens, Poe's X-Wing on Jakku is disabled, then destroyed by regular hand held blaster fire, courtesy of FN-2187's First Order storm trooper squad.
Later, when FN-2187 and Poe are attempting to escape in an TIE fighter, it takes multiple hits from what seems like the same blasters, yet it doesn't even look damaged. The storm troopers were attempting to set up a larger blaster cannon emplacement to take it down, before the cannon was taken out by the TIE fighters blasts.
Does this mean the TIE fighters are significantly better than the X-Wings? Or did I miss something? Or is this just a goof?
Best Answer
Unlike previous generations of TIE fighters, the Special Forces TIE/sf actually comes equipped with a compact shield generator.
image from Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Incredible Cross-sections
It would appear that Poe Dameron was able to activate this shield before the ship was hit with the blaster fire from the bay. It's mentioned slightly later on in the film's Official Novelisation (when they take out the Star Destroyer's lasers) that the shields are active.
The whole gun emplacement erupted in a rapidly shrinking fireball. Debris spun around them as Poe took them through the devastation, the fighter’s shields warding off whatever he could not directly avoid.
By comparison, there's no indication that Poe had activated the X-Wing's shields. He was trying to avoid being detected by scanners until he was in a position to attempt a quick takeoff. That presumably would include not activating systems with large electromagnetic signatures that could be tracked, such as the shields and main weapons.
The ship that was parked some distance from the village was well hidden beneath a high rock outcropping. That wouldn’t shield the X-wing from sophisticated search gear, Poe knew. He needed to exit the atmosphere, and fast.
Pictures about "Are TIE fighters significantly better than X-Wing fighters?"
Why did the Empire not use X-Wing?
As it turns out, the Empire lost the X-wing because they reneged on a bargain to its creators. Details can be found in Rebel Starfighters Owners' Workshop Manual, a canon sourcebook that covers the history of the Rebellion's starships.Why did the Empire only use TIE fighters?
To reduce the mass of the ship. TIE fighters are built without defensive shields, hyperdrive capability, and life support systems - so the pilots must wear spacesuits. The light-weight ship gains speed and maneuverability at the price of fragility and dependence on nearby Imperial bases or larger craft for support.What is the point of TIE Fighter wings?
TIEs were designed to attack in large numbers, overwhelming the enemy craft. Standard attack squadrons consisted of 12 fighters while full attack wings were made up of six squadrons. The Imperials used so many that they came to be considered symbols of the Empire and its might.Which TIE Fighter is the best?
TIE/IN interceptor The TIE Interceptor is without a doubt the best TIE ever made. The Interceptor is the Lamborghini of the TIE line, with every line, every panel screaming speed and mobility. This is a ship that just looks fast and deadly.X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter (Comparison) - Star Wars Explained
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Dylan, Vlad Dediu, Pixabay, Pavel Danilyuk