Skull Squadron was a squadron of Fang fighters piloted by Mandalorian Protectors. These pilots aided the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. In the war's closing months, Skull Leader Fenn Rau took command, commanded this Mandalorian squadron during the Third Battle of Mygeeto. During this conflict, Jedi General Depa Billaba and her Padawan Caleb Dume found themselves trapped by Separatist battle droids; Rau and Skull Squadron intervened to rescue them. More than fifteen years later, Dume, now known as "Kanan Jarrus," encountered Rau on the third moon of Concord Dawn, offering to reciprocate the earlier rescue he had experienced.
Skull Squadron consisted of at least nine Mandalorian Protectors, who were ancient Mandalorian warriors. These warriors served the ruler of Mandalore. Fenn Rau, the commander of the squadron, trained the pilots of Skull Squadron. He was known by the callsign "Skull Leader." During the Clone Wars, Skull Squadron provided support to the Galactic Republic. Following the Clone Wars, when the Galactic Empire occupied Mandalore, Skull Squadron and the Protectors became allies with the Empire, establishing a camp on the third moon of Concord Dawn.
The squadron was equipped with nine Fang fighters, which were starfighters specifically designed for aerial combat. Each starfighter was equipped with wing-mounted laser cannons as well as a concealed proton torpedo launcher. The pivoting wings of the Fang fighters provided superior maneuverability compared to other starfighters. These capabilities gave the pilots of Skull Squadron a significant tactical advantage in battle. In addition to the nine primary Fang fighters, Skull Squadron maintained a supply of reserve starfighters. The Fang fighters used by Skull Squadron displayed a distinctive pattern of forked stripes in white and blue. The pilots wore matching flight suits and helmets. As Skull Leader, Rau's Fang fighter featured a unique chevron design, and his helmet was adorned with a stylized red skull on the forehead.
During the waning months of the Clone Wars, Skull Squadron lent its support to the Galactic Republic in the Third Battle of Mygeeto. This battle was part of a larger campaign to liberate the war-ravaged planet from the forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Jedi General Depa Billaba and her battalion of clone troopers were assigned the task of clearing the Southern Mesas of all battle droids. Billaba, along with Padawan Caleb Dume, Clone Captain Styles, and the young clone trooper Stance, advanced through the Separatist lines. Unfortunately, their progress was halted when the bridges on the mesa they were crossing were destroyed, leaving them stranded for approximately two minutes. As they were quickly being overrun by numerous B1-series battle droids, Rau, leading three other members of Skull Squadron, intervened to eliminate the droid threat. They repeatedly flew into the Separatist fire, providing cover for the Jedi. After two minutes of intense combat, the droids were defeated, and Skull Squadron departed as Clone Commander Grey arrived with reinforcements. Dume expressed a desire to personally thank Rau, but that opportunity would not arise for many years.
The end of the Clone Wars in 19 BBY marked the proclamation of the New Order, which led to the Republic transforming into the Galactic Empire. Following the Imperial occupation of Mandalore, Skull Squadron and the Mandalorian Protectors established a base on the third moon of Concord Dawn, and they aligned themselves with the Empire. The conclusion of the war also brought about the destruction of the Jedi Order, though Dume managed to survive the purge, adopting the alias "Kanan Jarrus." More than fifteen years later, in 3 BBY, the rebellion against the Empire launched a mission to the Concord Dawn system, seeking to secure a hyperspace route and forge an alliance with the Protectors. When a rebel group, led by Hera Syndulla, entered the star system, they were intercepted by Rau and two of his fighters. Rau rejected Syndulla's proposal, and Skull Squadron opened fire on the rebel RZ-1 A-wing interceptors. During the resulting battle, Skull Squadron sustained one casualty, while destroying three of the five rebel starfighters and critically damaging Syndulla's ship, before she jumped to hyperspace. The other rebel survivor, the Mandalorian Sabine Wren, informed the rebellion that Rau was the leader of the Protectors.
Upon hearing Rau's name, Jarrus—who had joined the rebels—devised a plan to infiltrate the Protector's camp. Jarrus and Wren entered the camp, and while the former Jedi went to meet Rau, Wren planted explosives on the parked Fang fighters of Skull Squadron. When Jarrus finally met Rau, he recounted how Skull Squadron had saved his life on Mygeeto. Jarrus then reiterated Syndulla's offer, but Rau dismissed it, stating that his actions with Skull Squadron had been reckless. Before Jarrus could leave, Wren's presence was revealed, and she invoked the Mandalorian code, challenging Rau's authority.
In the ensuing duel, Wren disarmed Rau and detonated the explosives, destroying several starfighters. Rau retreated to his still-functional Fang fighter and fled the base as his men engaged the two rebels. Jarrus and Wren managed to escape the fight and pursued Rau. The rebels caught the Protector leader and took him as a prisoner. One of Rau's subordinates offered to gather the reserve starfighters, but Rau dismissed the idea. Fearing an Imperial lockdown of the system, Rau also ordered his men to not speak about the rebel presence and allow rebel starships to pass through. Skull Squadron was ultimately destroyed when Viceroy Gar Saxon and his Imperial Super Commandos discovered that they were allowing the rebels of Phoenix Squadron to travel through the Concord Dawn system.
Rau, a highly regarded and experienced veteran of the Clone Wars, not only trained the pilots of Skull Squadron, but also served as a flight instructor for the Grand Army of the Republic. Rau held the belief that many Mandalorians, including members of Death Watch and the Imperial Super Commandos, had abandoned their honor, purpose, and obligations. However, he believed that the members of Skull Squadron still embodied these values.
Skull Squadron made its debut in Kanan 10, a comic book penned by Greg Weisman, with artwork by Pepe Larraz, and published by Marvel Comics. The comic was released on January 27, 2016, coinciding with "The Protector of Concord Dawn," an episode from the second season of Star Wars Rebels that depicted Kanan Jarrus's encounter with Fenn Rau. While the Fang fighters in "The Protector of Concord Dawn" are not explicitly identified as belonging to Skull Squadron, Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia suggests that Rau was still operating as Skull Leader, implying that these starfighters were indeed part of Skull Squadron.