The complete history and origin of Edward Lavell has yet to be revealed, including the circumstances in which he found the original Eel's costume or otherwise duplicated it. It is presumed that he was a long-standing member of the Maggia crime family and came to don the Eel identity through them.
His activities as the Eel first led to a clash with the heroes Power Man and Iron Fist while he tried to break Hammerhead, head of the Maggia crime family, out of prison. Although he was thwarted, Lavell continued to perform numerous criminal acts as the Eel, at one point running up against Iron Fist while in the employ of the criminal Nightshade.
The Eel was recruited to the New Enforcers by that organization’s inner circle, and he joined other field agents in battling both sides of a mob war as the Blood Rose tried to secure his grip on New York City. The New Enforcers were defeated by the intervening Spider-Man, however, and Spider-Man had to retreat to create his “Spider-Armor” in order to return and defeat them once and for all as they battled Blood Rose and his enemy Gauntlet.
In hopes of gaining revenge against the criminal Mister Hyde, the Eel arranged a murder of a woman he had befriended, framing Hyde. Lavell also secretly impersonated Sylveser “Snake” Marston, joining his team, the Enforcers, and led them in throwing off Daredevil’s attempts to find the true killer. Ultimately, the Eel sucker-punched Daredevil and gloated of his plans, but the Enforcers overheard and turned on him. The Eel was taken into court to clear Hyde’s name and was remanded to custody.
At one point, the Eel joined the Masters of Evil organized by the second Crimson Cowl, until the organization was shut down by the heroic Thunderbolts. As with many times prior to this, the Eel was imprisoned for his crimes, but presumably due to his Maggia connections, was soon released.
Later, Lavell was seen among the Maggia leaders assembled by the Grim Reaper who tried to claim leadership of the scattered, fractious families on behalf of Count Nefaria. Lavell was present as speaker for the families along the Gulf Coast, but was captured when the hero team Avengers invaded the meeting place.
The Eel once worked against Hammerhead, transporting the Lifeline Tablet on behalf of Caesar Cicero, although Hammerhead soon recovered the Tablet for his own purpose.
The Eel participated in the Bloodsport tournament recently held by the Viper on Madripoor. He was paired for competition with the Toad, who defeated Eel, snapping his neck and seemingly killing him.
The Eel was later seen forced by Lucia von Bardas to band together with other villains who used technology that she helped provide for their equipment in the past. The villains began a massive attack against S.H.I.E.L.D. and dozens of New York’s heroes, but the battle turned out to be part of von Bardas’ ploy to assemble the heroes in one place. She triggered a device common to all the villains in the technology they used, and she and the villains were linked together in a giant bomb over the city. S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Daisy Johnson was able to kill von Bardas, defusing the bomb, and the villains were remanded to custody. It is unknown, however, whether or not the current Eel is the one who competed in the Bloodsport, since the injury suffered should have been fatal.
