Quorl Matrin held the position of Imperial Governor for the planet Stenos during the era of the Galactic Civil War. Previously, Matrin served as an Imperial Senator. He spearheaded the Imperial invasion and subsequent occupation of Stenos, a feat made easier by the remarkable indifference displayed by the native Stenax population. Following this, Matrin, who had a deep interest in archaeology and a passion for collecting rare artifacts, became consumed with the search for an ancient, lost statue representing the Stenax deity known as Vol. He eventually enlisted the services of smuggler Rik Duel to locate the idol. Duel's successful discovery of the statue ultimately ignited the fury of the Stenaxes, who retaliated by tearing Matrin apart in order to reclaim their sacred artifact.
Before his governorship, Matrin was a member of the Imperial Senate, where he formed an acquaintance with Leia Organa of Alderaan. As a close confidant of Grand Moff Bertroff Hissa, Matrin was later appointed as the Governor of the planet Stenos. This assignment was of particular interest to him because of his passion for esoteric artifacts. He had long been captivated by the legend surrounding the Stenaxes' lost statue of their god, Vol. Despite the Stenaxes' imposing stature and potential for combat, Matrin and his forces encountered minimal resistance in securing the planet. The natives bewildered Matrin by seemingly ignoring the Imperial presence entirely. The successful invasion also forced a Rebel cell, under the command of Colonel Pejanes Kindar, to flee. Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, Matrin contracted a group of smugglers, led by Rik Duel, to find the statue of Vol, which had become an object of intense desire for him.
Duel and his crew eventually located the statue with the unintentional assistance of Rebels Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa, who had traveled to Stenos to investigate Kindar's disappearance. Upon discovering the statue—hidden within a temple that had previously served as Kindar's base—Matrin deployed his stormtroopers to engage the Rebels, while also keeping a close watch on Duel, whom he distrusted. This vigilance allowed him to catch Duel attempting to escape Stenos with the statue, which he stopped with a company of soldiers. Duel surrendered the artifact, but as Matrin prepared to execute the smuggler, he was suddenly confronted by a massive swarm of Stenaxes, determined to reclaim their sacred religious symbol. As the individual holding the statue at that moment, Matrin became the primary target of the Stenax onslaught. While he was presumed to have been killed, the extent of his injuries rendered his remains unidentifiable.
Quorl Matrin, as an Imperial governor, displayed a fittingly authoritarian and arrogant demeanor. He possessed cunning and a talent for deceit, qualities that proved useful in his dealings with individuals like Rik Duel. A dedicated collector of rare artifacts, Matrin went to considerable lengths to acquire them. The Stenax statue of Vol was a particular obsession, a prize he had pursued for many years. Matrin also developed a profound interest in Stenax culture, particularly the natives' apparent refusal to acknowledge the Imperial occupation. This fascination evolved into a primary objective for Matrin: to elicit any form of reaction from the Stenax. Matrin enjoyed a cordial and friendly relationship with Grand Moff Bertroff Hissa, whom he affectionately referred to as "Troff." Sharing a mutual interest in archaeology, Matrin often entertained Hissa with impersonations of his superiors, including one of High Prophet Jedgar that Hissa found exceptionally amusing.
Quorl Matrin made an appearance in Star Wars (1977) 70, a comic written by Mary Jo Duffy, with illustrations by Kerry Gammill and Tom Palmer, released in 1983.