The first person to ever wear Mandalorian armor on-screen was recently honored in an episode of The Mandalorian.
Ever since Boba Fett first appeared on-screen in live-action in The Empire Strikes Back the armor he wore has become instantly iconic and widely recognizable, and the armor has taken over the Star Wars franchise in recent years. Not only has Boba Fett returned (played by Temuera Morrison), but so too have a ton of Mandalorians taken center stage.
But it was Jeremy Bulloch who first wore the armor, playing Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (he also played an Imperial liuetenant, Sheckil, in Empire and Captain Colton in Revenge of the Sith). Bulloch, who died in December 2020, didn’t have a major role but made it iconic.
The most recent episode of The Mandalorian, “Chapter 21: The Pirate”, included a really cool nod to Bulloch that was easy to miss. After the Mandalorians help to liberate the planet of Nevarro from pirate king Gorian Shard, High Magistrate Greef Karga makes good on his promise to Din Djarin and gives them a plot of land, where they can live in the open and establish a new home. In a speech to the citizens of Nevarro and these Mandalorians, Karga says that he will “hereby cede all land from the western lava flats to Bulloch Canyon to the fine people of Mandalore. You may no longer have a home planet, but you do now have a home. Welcome.”
Did you catch that? The boundary of this land given to the Mandalorians extends all the way to Bulloch Canyon, no doubt named for Jeremy Bulloch. It’s a really cool little easter egg, and it’s fitting. Nevarro isn’t actually the Mandalorians’ home, but they’re turning it into one – just like Boba Fett is not actually a Mandalorian but is often regarded as one. Most of all, though, it’s just awesome to see this nod to Jeremy Bulloch and some recognition for him.
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