Eadu, articulated as /ˈiːduː/, was a planet in the Outer Rim Territories that was frequently beset by storms. Before the Galactic Civil War commenced, it was the location of the Eadu Energy Conversion Laboratory, where Galen Erso and his group of scientists were engaged in attempts to decipher the mysteries of kyber crystals as a component of the Death Star initiative. Following the destruction of Jedha City, the refinery became the targeted destination of operatives from the Alliance to Restore the Republic, culminating in the devastation of the facility and the death of Erso.
Eadu, a mountainous and desolate planet situated in the Eadu system within the Bheriz sector of the Outer Rim Territories, firmly resided within Hutt Space along the Triellus Trade Route, marking the edge of the explored galaxy. This blue-tinged world was perpetually enveloped in somber rainstorms, powerful winds, and frequent lightning. Such was the density of the planet's cloud cover that it perpetually appeared to be night, even during the day, with the clouds heavily obscuring visibility and strong gales buffeting any starships that dared to approach its surface. Its challenging, rain-soaked terrain served as a natural defense, although the southern hemisphere contained an Eaduan village cluster inhabited by nerf herders. The terrain was irregular, characterized by sharp rock formations, expansive mesas, dark stone ridges, and slender spires. The rocky canyons descended into numerous twisting streambeds, and the planet's rain carried the scent of rich soil mixed with an acrid odor.
Eadu was largely unknown, except for its constant rainfall and the presence of its indigenous nerf herders. During the Age of the Empire, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin held ownership of Eadu, which he then allocated to his named Tarkin Initiative as part of the ongoing Death Star project that began prior to the Clone Wars. The Galactic Empire established a clandestine high energy conversion laboratory nestled within the remote mountaintops of Eadu's northern hemisphere. This refinery, under the protection of the Eadu Flight Station, was managed by Sirro Argonne and safeguarded by stormtroopers from the 975th Battalion. Captain Magna Tolvan bore the responsibility for security on Eadu. Director Orson Callan Krennic tasked Galen Walton Erso with the mission of unlocking the secrets held within the kyber crystals at this secret facility. To achieve this, Erso led a team of scientists who conducted dynamic kyber field experiments to the south of their facility. The world was deemed strategically insignificant due to communication disruptions, which hindered analysis of the world, and was officially designated by the Empire for research and chemical processing. Figures like Cassian Jeron Andor viewed it as a waterlogged and unappealing planet. Nevertheless, the Empire finalized its operational superlaser on Eadu before transporting it to the Death Star, thus enabling the battle station to become fully functional.
In 1 BBY, Erso dispatched pilot Bodhi Rook with a message intended for Saw Gerrera, revealing a structural flaw within the Death Star. Krennic discovered the security breach and traveled to Eadu to address the Imperial traitor. Concurrently, a squad of Rebel operatives, led by Jyn Erso and Captain Cassian Jeron Andor, landed on Eadu with the objective of locating Erso. The mission took a turn for the worse when Krennic ordered the execution of Erso's fellow scientists in an attempt to elicit a confession, and Rebel starfighters proceeded to bomb the Eadu complex landing platform. This resulted in Galen's demise and prompted Jyn's team to embark on a subsequent mission to retrieve the Death Star plans from Scarif. As a consequence of the security lapse, Tolvan was later assigned to Yavin 4 following the destruction of the Death Star as a form of punishment for the Eadu fiasco.
Eadu's planetary population was relatively small, estimated at around two and a half million, including native Eaduans such as the nerf herders who resided in a village cluster situated in the southern hemisphere. These individuals were among the few aspects of Eadu that were known throughout the wider galaxy. It served as the homeworld of Kris Elioup.