The TIE Fighter first appeared in Star Wars in 1977 as the Empire's short-range starfighter, and its screaming engine sound became one of the franchise's most recognizable audio signatures. Sound designer Ben Burtt crafted the effect to feel alien and menacing, and it has been reused across later Star Wars films, television series, and video games. Online, the roar is now a shorthand for speed, pursuit, and Imperial menace, which is why editors reuse it far beyond Star Wars fan videos.