Charros IV, a planet situated within the Mid Rim Territories, was the location of the Xi Char Cathedral factories. At these factories, members of the Xi Charrian species manufactured the Vulture-class starfighter, known colloquially as the "vulture droid." During the Galactic Civil War, the Rebel Alliance found themselves compelled to retreat from Charros IV, anticipating the imminent recapture of the world by the Galactic Empire.
Referred to simply as Charros, Charros IV was a planet that was part of the Slice region of the Mid Rim Territories. Its location was designated as grid square R-9 within the Standard Galactic Grid. Hyperspace routes connected it to Bimmisaari and Togoria, while the Great Kashyyyk Branch hyperroute provided a link to Balamak.
During the era of the Galactic Republic, the Xi Char Cathedral factories on Charros IV were responsible for producing the Vulture-class starfighter, also called the "vulture droid." This automated starfighter was utilized by the Trade Federation and later by the Separatist Alliance in the Clone Wars against the Republic. The Clone Wars concluded in 19 BBY with the Separatists' defeat and the Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire, which subsequently gained control of Charros IV.
In the course of the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, the Alliance initiated its Mid Rim Offensive around 1 ABY, resulting in the liberation of Charros IV from Imperial rule. However, the offensive faltered in 2 ABY due to the Empire's counterattacks. The Empire's renewed efforts forced Alliance troops to withdraw to more secure positions, leading Alliance forces to prepare for a retreat from Charros IV, as well as the planets Durkteel, Jeyell, Ord Tiddell, Pothor, and [Trasse],(/article/trasse) all of which were expected to be quickly recaptured by the Empire.
General Carlist Rieekan summarized the situation in a confidential document for the Alliance Commander-in-Chief Mon Mothma, referencing Charros IV and the other five planets. Rieekan noted that while some local revolutionaries would be evacuated with the Alliance, the remaining ones would stay behind to resist the Empire. Archivist Hendri Underholt later archived the document, including it in his collection of non-electronic documents titled The Rebel Files. In 34 ABY, several screens aboard Chandrila Star Line's Star Cruiser Halcyon displayed a partial map of the galaxy that showed the location of Charros IV.
On Charros IV, the Xi Char, a religious cult that established the zealous Haor Chall Engineering Corporation, ran its cathedral factories. Within these factories, members of the sentient insectoid Xi Charrian species were responsible for the production of vulture droids. The Xi Char held a belief in customized production, viewing ultra-precise manufacturing as a sacred act of worship within the factories, as well as across the Haor Chall Engineering company. This belief was shared by thousands. New workers did not concern themselves with the end use of the products. Many Xi Charrian vehicle designs, such as the vulture droid, possessed an insectoid aesthetic.
Charros was initially introduced into the current Star Wars canon through a map featured in the 2016 Fantasy Flight Games roleplaying boxed set Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game. Its full identification as Charros IV occurred in the 2018 reference book Star Wars: Complete Vehicles, specifically within a section that was reprinted from David West Reynolds' 1999 reference book Star Wars: Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections from the Star Wars Legends continuity.
Charros IV's first appearance within the universe was as a depiction on a map visible in Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, an immersive roleplaying experience at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida that opened to the public on March 1, 2022. Star Wars: Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections marked the initial mention of the planet Charros IV in Legends, with its first full appearance occurring in James Luceno's 2005 novel Labyrinth of Evil.