As far as secondary Star Wars characters go, few are as forgettable as Bib Fortuna, the loyal steward of Jabba the Hutt during his reign on Tatooine. Yet, Fortuna's history is more interesting and fact-filled than many Star Wars fans realize, and there's a lot to explore about his character, who recently died at the hands of Boba Fett on The Mandalorian.
At Jabba's side, Fortuna managed to amass a sense of status and power all his own, as the right hand of the galaxy's most notorious gangster. In a sea of scum and villainy, Fortuna managed to survive, and thrive, even going so far as to claim Jabba's palace, and throne upon his death.
He Preferred To Speak Huttese
Bib Fortuna was fluent and proficient in several different languages, including Galactic Basic, but his primary language of choice was Huttese. This may have been an attempt to appease, or grovel before Jabba the Hutt, or it may have been due to his innate and unwavering devotion to his master.
Even though Huttese was his preferred dialect, he sometimes sprinkled in words from other languages, particularly Basic. This can be heard in Return of the Jedi when he speaks to both Luke Skywalker, and Jabba the Hutt. In both instances, he speaks Basic with a heavy accent.
His Previous Career Choice
Fortuna cut his teeth on criminal matters by getting into the slave trade, selling off members of his own race. His family were active in the criminal underworld, which might have contributed to his illicit profession. Either way, Fortuna was groomed to take advantage of others from an early age.
By the time he entered in Jabba's service, Fortuna had all the training required to survive in such an environment. Since Jabba was not opposed to slavery on Tatooine, or the Outer Rim by extension, Fortuna probably fit right in as a natural.
His Job Was Dangerous
Upon first seeing Bib Fortuna in Return of the Jedi, it appeared that he held a rather high-ranking position within Jabba the Hutt's criminal cabal. However, his role as majordomo, or a chief steward, was littered with pitfalls, and most who took the job didn't live very long.
Fortuna himself was especially good at keeping his master happy, and finding ways out of trouble when he was not. He was a character filled with guile, and was able to manipulate a situation to make himself more palatable to Jabba, in good times, as well as bad.
Jabba Kept Him Around For Years
Return of the Jedi showed that Jabba the Hutt had little patience, even for his most loyal of underlings. Bib Fortuna was no exception. His job was a perilous one with a rather short tenure, but Jabba kept Fortuna around for the long haul, proving he had a set of special qualities. He even served Jabba decades before the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, which was a landmark achievement by itself.
At times, Jabba would become annoyed with Fortuna, such as when Luke Skywalker managed to use the Jedi mind trick on him. Yet, for his personal failings, Fortuna's devotion and tireless work ethic must have been enough to prevent him from suffering death at the Hutt's command.
He Was Average Height
The official Bib Fortuna databank entry on StarWars.com lists Fortuna's height at 1.8 meters, which is approximately 5 foot, 9 inches. This meant he was average in height, and the combination of his thin physical build wasn't enough to intimidate those he dealt with.
To compensate, Fortuna relied heavily on Jabba's notorious reputation, and his influence as a powerful criminal warlord. This would have been more than enough to offset anyone who thought to take Fortuna lightly, save for a few like Boba Fett and Darth Vader.
Jabba's Rancor Belonged To Bib Fortuna
The horrifying Rancor underneath Jabba's palace had claimed many victims over the years, and even Luke Skywalker nearly lost his life to the creature. Many believed that Jabba had procured the Rancor, and brought it to Tatooine as a pet, but it actually belonged to Bib Fortuna.
The Rancor was named Pateesa, and according to the Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded, Fortuna gave it to Jabba the Hutt as a birthday gift. It would end up serving as a major deterrent against those who would dare cross the Hutt.
He Survived An Encounter With Darth Vader
When the Galactic Empire was officially formed, it attempted to broker some backchannel deals with Jabba, outside of the purview of the Senate. Vader traveled to Tatooine in order to open negotiations with him, he killed two of his Gamorrean guards.
It was Bib Fortuna who tried to calm tensions by speaking with Vader, but the Sith Lord had little patience for underlings. He ordered Fortuna to take him to Jabba, at which point the Hutt attempted to have him killed. After Vader gained the upper hand, he force-choked Jabba into submission, proving his might.
Boba Fett Disliked Him
The final act of season 2 of The Mandalorian saw Boba Fett returning to Jabba's palace on Tatooine, years after the crime lord had perished. In his stead, Bib Fortuna appeared to be running the show, and it wasn't long before Fett shot him dead, and claimed the mantle.
Fett might have been harboring an old grudge from a few years prior, when he had lost a frozen Han Solo to the Crimson Dawn on his way to deliver the bounty to Jabba. As a result, the crime lord placed a bounty on Fett's head, and Fortuna was present on Tatooine to deliver the message, with a score of mercenaries to back him up. Fett convinced them to back down after asking if they were ready to die for Bib Fortuna, whom he obviously thought very little of.
Michael Carter Portrayed Him In Return Of The Jedi
The actor who played Bib Fortuna in Return of the Jedi was Scottish thespian Michael Carter, who's first starring role was in the 1971 Doctor Who story "The Mind of Evil," where he played both a UNIT soldier, and a prisoner. He later starred in An American Werewolf in London, before nabbing the role of Fortuna.
After this appearance, Carter went on to appear in a number of TV shows including MI-5, Seekers and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Most recently, Carter got into video games, portraying Hawkeye Gough, Biorr of the Twin Fangs, Blacksmith Bodin, and Blacksmith Ed in Demon's Souls, and Dark Souls.
Erik Bauersfeld Voiced Him
Many Star Wars fans believe that Bib Fortuna was played and voiced by the same actor, but actually, Erik Bauersfeld provided the voice for the character. The role was uncredited, although Bauersfeld did voice another popular character in Return of the Jedi - Admiral Ackbar.
In fact, Bauersfeld reprised the Ackbar role in the video game Star Wars: X-Wing, and later in the sequel film Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. In addition, he also provided the voice of Gardener in Steven Spielberg's A.I. - Artificial Intelligence.