The Mandalorian's Season 2 finale featured a lot of surprises, though it's fair to say some of them were much more hyped by the fandom than others. While fans were doting over the return of Luke Skywalker and the reveal that Boba Fett would be getting a standalone spinoff, the fact that classic Star Wars character Bib Fortuna made an appearance may have been pushed to the back burner. Now that the dust has settled, the franchise alum who portrayed the minor character, who was holding dominion over Jabba's Palace, has broken his silence.
As some may have expected, it was Matthew Wood who reprised the role of Bib Fortuna for the character's short-lived return to the Star Wars universe. Check out Wood's response to his return on Twitter, which is about as good as it gets for nerdy Star Wars fans:
For those who don't get the reference, the infamous Kenner Toys Boba Fett action figure was available via mailing 4 proofs of purchase to Kenner and then waiting 6 to 8 weeks to receive the toy. Boba Fett's toy was an especially hot commodity and has become a rare collector's item due to the toy being recalled because of the safety hazard of the firing rocket on his back. Apparently, Matthew Wood's love for Star Wars merch had no effect on Boba Fett, who killed Bib Fortuna shortly after the slimy character returned to the Star Wars universe.
Matthew Wood is not the original Bib Fortuna but has portrayed the character prior to The Mandalorian. Wood was the actor who portrayed Fortuna in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, in which he is seen alongside Jabba the Hutt during the podracing sequence. Wood is not to be confused with the first actors to portray Bib Fortuna in Return of the Jedi, Michael Carter and Erik Bauersfeld (voice).
Though the character's return may have been a lesser celebrated aspect of the episode, Bib Fortuna's presence served The Mandalorian's ongoing objective of bridging the gap between the original and sequel trilogies. Many previously assumed Fortuna died in the destruction of Jabba's ship in Return of the Jedi so, while his cameo was brief in the series, the door is open for other Star Wars authors to use him in subsequent stories set before that moment. More likely than not, any other appearances would be in a novel, a comic book or maybe even in a flashback episode of The Book Of Boba Fett. And if that's true, then it's possible Matthew Wood will portray the character again soon, though nothing from the actor has signaled that's the case.
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