Synopsis / Summary / Plot
This issue's opening interview isn't a flashback, and it's spread throughout the comic. Apparently after the end of last issue Namor surrendered himself to the custody of Anthem/Henry Hellrung, and now Hellrung is trying to find out what the Sub-Mariner actually wants. Henry agrees to take the batteries out of his recorder so that the 'chat' will be off the record.
The discussion starts with reviewing Namor's origin. Anthem says Namor was the son of a love affair between an Atlantean princess and a surface sea captain named McKenzie. Her father sent Atlantean soldiers to drag her back to the ocean. Namor says this is lies:- McKenzie raped his mother and she was rescued by the Atlanteans. The usual flashbacks within the interview show that Hellrung's version is correct.
Sub-Mariner repeats what he said last issue that the surface dwellers have repeatedly attacked Atlantis, and now it is a ruin (thanks to Iron Man and SHIELD in the Sub-Mariner: Revolution mini-series). Last issue Namor raised a tidal wave that is suspended over San Francisco. Subby expects to be arrested as a terrorist but put himself in the care of the Order because he doesn't want to give SHIELD and Iron Man the kudos. He's willing to submit to someone else, for instance Susan Richards of the Fantastic Four.
Meanwhile the other available members of the Order (Calamity, Heavy and Veda) are helping with the evacuation of the city in case the tsunami unfreezes. But the mob gets predicatably ugly.
Henry continues his review by mentioning that Sub-Mariner has a habit of attacking the surface world. We see an example of another tidal wave and a fight with the original Human Torch in WWII. But then he also fought alongside HT and Captain America in that war.
Namor insists that his actions make him a hero to his own people. Hellrung insists that a hero wouldn't threaten a city with a tsunami. Subby counters that in the past that kind of thing has been the only way to get America's attention. (We see a flashback to him teaming up with Dr Doom against the FF.)
Namor finally comes clean about his agenda. He belives that he will be a more powerful symbol to unite the Atlanteans as a martyr imprisoned by the US Government than he is as the leader of a broken nation without any hope.
Now it's Hellrung's turn to come clean. As Anthem he controls lightning. But this involves controling electricity, which he can also do on a small scale. So the recorder has been running even without batteries. He threatens to make that last part public - how Namor doesn't really believe his people have any hope of restoring their nation.
Prince Namor dissolves the water wall and is taken into custody by the FF. When asked by a reporter he credits Henry Hellrung with brokering the deal - the Order saved California. Anthem hadn't asked him to do that, but Pepper Potts is glad of the publicity for the team. And she thinks he deserves the credit.