Skull-One in Battloid mode. (Macross Saga: "Countdown")
Skull-One, previously known as the YF-1 prototype, was a custom VF-1S Valkyrie for Roy Fokker and one of the most famous human Veritechs in history, fighting through all the First Robotech War.
Prototype[]
The YF-1 prototype in 2006.
Skull-One was one of several prototypes built for Project Valkyrie following the discovery of Robotechnology. It was assigned to test pilot Roy Fokker after he joined the program.
The YF-1 saw its first combat action against Anti-Unification League force in 2006 when it came to the aid of a United Earth Government transport on its way to Macross Island. The YF-1 was able to destroy at least three enemy fighters in the engagement, before crashing. However, Roy survived the fall and the prototype was recovered and repaired. (Comic: Robotech: From the Stars 3: The Program")
Later, after Valkyirie was cancelled, and the Armor-1 was hijacked, Fokker "stole" Skull-One and used it to recover Armor-1, killing the hijackers, and destroy a Reflex warhead, saving Macross Island. Though the fighters was damaged, Roy decided to keep it permanently.(Comic: Robotech: From the Stars: "The Gathering Storm", "Commitment")
First Robotech War[]
Roy piloted Skull-One during the battle of Macross Island, where he rescued several times his ''little brother'' Rick Hunter.(Macross Saga: Boobytrap, Countdown)
Later, Roy fought in Skull-One while SDF-1 was returning to Earth, until he was fatally wounded on battle and died in a hospital. After his death, the fighter was given to Rick, which succeeded him as Skull leader.(Macross Saga: Farewell, Big Brother)
Rick piloted Skull-One until the battle of Earth, where, damaged, fell to land, but managed to recover the control. Then he intercepted a transmission from Lisa Hayes at Antarctic Base. He rescued her as the SDF-1 landed at its final resting place following its destruction of the Zentraedi Armada. (Macross Saga: "Force of Arms")
Post-First Robotech War[]
In 2015, a year after the end of the First Robotech War Skull-One was retired from service. As the oldest surviving Veritech fighter, Doctor Emil Lang had it dismantled for study to aid in the Advanced Veritech Fighter program. However, after asking marriage to Lisa Hayes, Rick convinced Lang to delay the dismantling to fly Skull-One one last time, as a tribute and farewell to Roy.(Comic: "Robotech: From the Stars 0: Promises")
Behind the scenes[]
In Robotech: Return To Macross, it is described as the third VF-1 prototype and drawn as a VF-1A.