Count Bornag Royale first appeared as an European aristocrat attempting to give legitimacy to the then-newly formed scientific think tank, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics). His influence was enough to gain him an invitation to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier where he presented an offer from A.I.M. to make American cities "bombproof." On several occasions, Royale attempted to discredit or assassinate the recently-appointed director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, each ending in failure.

At the time, A.I.M. was actually part of a larger megalomaniacal conspiracy known as "Them." After A.I.M. was outed as working contrary to the good of the free world and its repeated failures to eliminate Nick Fury, the hierarchy of Them destroyed the A.I.M. base where Royale was hiding. The Count survived and was rescued by agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but in his injury-induced delirium, revealed the existence of Super-Adaptoid.

Count Bornag Royale is homage to the character Count Bornag in Ian Fleming's novel, Casino Royale.