Then: As a young boy, Humberto Lopez's paleontologist parents quiz him on dinosaurs. While Humberto likes dinosaurs, he wants to be an Avenger when he grows up. Now: Reptil is voted class leader of Avengers Academy. It's his dream come true, but he's secretly troubled by all the secrets, lies and personal conflict brewing at Avengers Academy, and he feels he can't talk to anyone about it. He's noticed there's something going on between Finesse and Quicksilver, but can't figure out what it is. She spends her nights in Reptil's room, and yet he still doesn't quite trust her. He also doesn't trust Hazmat, but he worries that if he confides in any of the teachers about these things, it may end the Academy and his dreams with it. Later, Hank Pym talks with Reptil about his inability to assume a fully dinosaur form, and he inspects the amulet that gives Reptil his powers, which has now become fused to his chest. When Hank scans it, Reptil is overcome with images of prehistoric creatures, including Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy. After Reptil recovers from the shock, Hank suggests that Reptil should talk to someone about the torture Osborn put him through; it may enable him to gain more control over his powers. That night Reptil asks Finesse about her and Quicksilver, and she breaks up with him and returns to her own room. Later, Wasp introduces the Avengers Academy to the press at a media day arranged by Hawkeye, who feels the positive attention may help hook the students on being super heroes. Hawkeye departs awkwardly when Hank brings up Jan leaving him for Hawkeye. Reporters tell Speedball the public has largely forgiven him now that the full truth is out about his time as Penance, his new role at Avengers Academy and how Nitro's augmented powers caused the Stamford disaster, but Speedball isn't interested in talking to the press, saying only his actions can prove his redemption. Trying to help his classmates be their best, Reptil is able to get Striker, who's used to being in front of cameras, to give a reporter a story and he starts to feel better about things. The next day Reptil tries to get the quarreling Mettle and Hazmat to date, thinking they are perfect for each other and that this might help their anger issues, but neither is interested. It doesn't discourage Reptil too much. Later, Reptil eavesdrops on one of Finesse's and Quicksilver's training sessions, and realizes he's teaching her about Magneto, and a shocked, shaken Reptil starts to think he can't last as class leader. The next day, the Avengers Academy and their instructors battle Mentallo, who's just escaped from a prison transport. Mentallo uses his powers to set the instructors and students to fight each other, so Reptil turns fully into a dinosaur. Unable to control Reptil's mind in this state, Mentallo is terrified and quickly defeated. The instructors tells Reptil he did a good job in defeating Mentallo, but he wasn't able to control himself in his fully reptillian form and needs to talk to someone about what Osborn put him through. Reptil later talks to Jessica Jones, who went through a similar experience when the Purple Man tortured her. He opens up to her, and Jessica later tells Hank she thinks Reptil is a good kid. However, Reptil keeps his concerns about the Academy students to himself.