Born to a saurian race within the Coalsack Nebula, Reptyl despised humanoids, believing their inter-planetary prominence had stifled saurians development. Operating out of the labyrinth-like Nebula, Reptyl became a renowned pirate, assembling a large crew and many hidden bases. He provided sanctuary to the Contemplator (actually a Skrull impostor – apparently unbeknownst to Repyl, respecting Contemplator’s Coalsack origins and his non-interferences with saurians. This Contemplator was fleeing the world-devourer Galactus, and Reptyl trapped the Silver Surfer and Galactus’ herald Nova (Frankie Raye) when they sought the Contemplator. Nova escaped and forced Reptyl to release the Silver Surfer and flee, after which Reptly devoured the Contemplator impostor. Reptyl subsequently set Firelord and Starfox after the Surfer; captured, marinated and ate the pretentious Lady Karlot of Segoov-3 after looting her ship; and traded his entire crew to the enigmatic Stranger to save the Skrull Empress S’Byll. Rewarded with the position of S’Byll’s warlord against the Kree race, Reptyl was uneasily allied with the Surfer.
The Super Skrull (Kl’rt) was Reptyl as dishonorable and a treat to his relationship with S’Byil. He attacked Repyl, who tore out his throat (though Kl’rt faked his death as part of S’Byil’s secret plans). While Reptyl planned a Kree ambush, he was stabbed from behind and left for dead by his first mate Clumsy Foulup (under the influence of the disembodied Contemplator impostor), ending his involvement in the Kree-Skrull War. Recovering, Reptyl sought vengeances on Foulup, but was attacked by the Super Skrull (who could no longer bear the dishonored of his faked death), strangled and cast into space.
In rare generations of Reptyl’s race, there exist a “prime” whose genes contained evolutionary keys. Upon physical death, Reptyl formed a cocoon and transformed into Reptyl Prime. He began flying home, intending to propagate a super-reptilian race that would eradicate humanoid life. Pausing at the mad Titan Thanos’ former monument to Death, Reptyl Prime encountered and battled the Silver Surfer. Outmatched despite his increased power, Reptyl took hostage Kharta’een princess Alaisa Ruantha Pethnan and then fled. Reverting to normal, Reptyl was imprisoned and eventually sent to Earth by the Intergalactic Council as part of their “Maximum Security” plot to occupy humanity with extraterrestrial criminals.
Reptyl later returned to piracy, allying with Raptra, Kid Syn and other Saurians. After narrowly escaping destruction during a battle with the Avengers, Reptyl pledged allegiance to Thanos (apparently one of his Thanosi doppelgangers) in exchange for god-like power – via the sacrificed life forced of Syn – which he could use as a champion saurians. As part of the Thanosi’s new pantheon, including mutated Plasmagen Primo, Reptyl sought to murder Celestial Messiah Quoi, the hybrid plant-humanoid son of the Avengers Mantis; but he ultimately had to join with the Avengers and Quo against the Rot, an all consuming void spawned by the union of Thanos and Death. Fleeing at battle’s end, Reptyl swore to slay Raptra for her romance with Quoi, which he saw as a betrayal of all things Saurian. When or where Reptyl will reappear again remains a mystery to all.
