BIOGRAPHY - Page 11
The wandering warlord Andromeda came to Namor with a cadre of Sharkan raiders loyal to her, offering her services. Namor named her his peacelord instead, charging Andromeda with the protection of Aquaria in his absence. In Manhattan, Namor succeeded in challenging the legality of Master Khan's corporate sabotage when he was posing as Namor, reclaiming control of his company. Phoebe Marrs remained chief executive officer, however, after she correctly pointed out that Namor's mercurial nature prevented him from dedicating himself to the betterment of Oracle and its employees full time. For once, Namor acknowledged his own failings and relented on that point, but remained owner of Oracle with a sharp eye on Marrs and guiding the company's activities.
Perhaps Namor's more reasonable nature was drawing from the renewal of his relationship with Sue Richards. They parted on friendly terms after the Starblasters affair and, when Sue arrived at Namor's Oracle residence later, he was overjoyed to hear she had accepted her husband's death and wished to move on with him. They spent the night together and Namor promised Sue a formal date the next night. When he arrived at Four Freedoms Plaza, flowers in hand, Namor found the Fantastic Four hard at work on their mission to find the missing Reed Richards, and Sue seemed oblivious to why Namor was present. Namor's temper erupted due to this rejection, leading to a skirmish with the Thing and Human Torch. 
Making his way back to Oracle, Namor soon learned the awful truth -- Llyra of Lemuria had posed as Sue that night, tricking Namor into having sex with her against his will. She had also infiltrated Oracle on several occasions posing as Phoebe Marrs. Namor's fury was unrestrained at the revelation, and he was prepared to crush Llyra's skull for her violation of his person. When Llyra announced she was pregnant with his child, however, it brought Namor to a halt. Namor believed he was sterile, a side-effect of his hybrid nature as reported by the royal physicians. Believing Llyra had gone completely mad, Namor's rage turned to pity and he allowed his unstable attacker to go free. [Namor, the Sub-Mariner #49-50]
Despite their awkward exchange, Namor and the Invisible Woman shared a kiss after the incident with Llyra, and an unspoken promise of possible futures. Namor remained a regular ally of the Fantastic Four in the days to come, patiently waiting for Sue to come to terms with the death of her husband. His obvious intentions irked the Thing and the Human Torch, out of their respect for Reed's ghost. Nevertheless, the Sub-Mariner aided the Fantastic Four against the rogue Watcher Aron and the threat of the Dark Raider. [Fantastic Four (1st series) #387-392]
Namor learned from Phoebe Marrs that an unscrupulous Oracle director (the same who once funded Tess Walker's "eco-terrorism") had stolen company resources to pursue the lost ship known as the Endurance in Antarctic waters and its mysterious cargo. The ship had disappeared in the early 20th century, and its recovery had actually been the secret mission of Leonard McKenzie and the Oracle on behalf of President Woodrow Wilson when McKenzie met Princess Fen. Seeing a connection to his lost father, Namor took Andromeda into her father Attuma's Sharkan territory to locate his rogue employee and the Endurance. They faced several threats on the mission, for the director was now the armored Black Moray and the cargo was guarded by Sea Leopard, a powerful warrior from the Lemurian sect called the Ancients. Still, Namor and Andromeda were successful and discovered the cargo was a large cache of Savage Land Vibranium, or Anti-Metal, which was now Oracle's property by rights of maritime salvage. [Namor, the Sub-Mariner #52-53]
Oracle's newfound riches did not come soon enough to benefit Aquaria, though. In need of funding, Walter Newell sought the collaboration of RoXXon Oil in the endeavor. Although he knew of Namor's inevitable objections, Newell still nursed a grudge due to his broken ribs, which kept him topside and away from his wife for weeks until his body could handle the pressure below again. 
Namor flew into a rage after hearing of RoXXon's involvement in the project, and was only halted by Diane Newell wearing the Stingray armor. She once again pointed out how Namor's split loyalties and long absences prevented him from being consulted more often on Aquaria's future. In the days that followed, Namor made amends with both Walter and Diane as Aquaria, redubbed "Hydropolis," officially opened its doors to human and Atlantean immigrants alike. [Namor, the Sub-Mariner #54-55]
Although Namor committed himself to Hydropolis, circumstances soon arose that divided his loyalty once again. Llyra was indeed pregnant and sought out the geneticist Vyrra to accelerate her child's birth. Vyrra had survived his last encounter with Namor by transferring his consciousness into the body of a Dorma clone, and was eager to aid Llyra against the prince who spurned him. Llyra's child was growth-accelerated into adulthood, implanted with a copy of Llyra's memories and named Llyron after her father. Llyron was indeed a green-skinned splitting image of Namor and, when a blood test determined his royal lineage as blood-kin to Namor, he lay claim to the throne of Atlantis and superceded Vashti's ruling Council of Three.
Hearing that Tiger Shark and Tamara Rahn were the first to fall before the new prince, Namor traveled to Atlantis and learned of his apparent offspring's existence. Shaken by Llyron's claims, Namor rescued his allies and departed Atlantis without further attempts to depose the new prince. Llyron had greater plans in motion that involved Namor, though. Llyron re-petitioned the United Nations for Atlantean membership in the august body, while his mother Llyra used the Horn of Proteus to summon Giganto and the beasts from below to attack New York.
Namor tried to intercept the creatures, only for Llyron to bend public perception and make it appear as if Namor was attacking New York as he had so many times in the past. Namor once again became a fugitive from the surface world while "good king" Llyron's petition was accepted and Atlantis entered the United Nations.
On the run, Namor learned the complicated truth from Phoebe Marrs, who had been investigating Llyra's efforts to impersonate her at Oracle. When Llyra determined that her hybrid nature and Namor's were incompatible for children, she found another solution. The renegade Oracle director, Black Moray, had actually been sent down that path by Llyra posing as Phoebe. His real name was Leon McKenzie, grandson of Leonard McKenzie from a second marriage he entered into after believing Fen was lost to him. It was by Black Moray that Llyra conceived Llyron, explaining the compatibility between Namor and Llyron in the royal blood tests. So while Llyron had Namor's blood, he had no royal Atlantean blood at all. Namor confronted Llyron and Atlantis with this information, but ultimately it didn't matter -- the Atlantean people chose to side with Llyron over their ever-absent former prince. Although Vashti and Seth wished to emigrate to Hydropolis with Namor, the Sub-Mariner asked his loyal advisors to remain on with Prince Llyron and ensure a steady hand for Atlantis's future. (Meanwhile, Llyron betrayed his own mother and sent Llyra to the dungeons for her part in the attack on the United Nations. His power would be shared with no one.) [Namor, the Sub-Mariner #55-57]
Namor's fugitive status put him at odds with Ian Langstrom at Hydropolis, as the US Navy attempted to execute the warrant for his arrest. Worse, Namor's parole officer Captain America was also put in the position of asking for Namor's surrender. The prince of the seas would not bow to anyone, however, and found himself exiled from Hydropolis and Atlantis alike. Cap assembled the Avengers to pursue Namor, while Stingray likewise brought together Tamara Rahn, Tiger Shark, Andromeda and Triton of the Inhumans as Deep Six to defend Namor. Namor eventually convinced the Avengers of his good intentions, but their assault interfered with the securing of a wrecked and unstable Russian nuclear submarine. Triton was in the process of disabling the warheads when he was caught inside the sub as it exploded. [Namor, the Sub-Mariner #57-59]
The Sub-Mariner and Andromeda worked together to locate Triton when he went missing, and Namor recovered the Sacred Sword of Kamuu to help in their quest. He traced Triton to the Azores, an archipelago far off the coast of Portugal, but faced several challenges. First was the Bloodwraith, current wielder of the Ebony Blade, whose curse wanted to claim Namor's soul for killing his own bride Marrina with the same blade. The greater threat by far, however, was the reincarnated witch Morgan Le Fey. Morgan believed her own home isle of Avalon was one of the surviving chunks of Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis, and intended to raise Atlantis from the seas to reclaim it as her homeland. Triton, who had lived on Earth and on the moon in Attilan, carried within him a unique electromagnetic signature augmented by his recent radiation exposure which Morgan intended to utilize. Namor was unable to prevent Morgan from sacrificing Triton to her rites, and Atlantis began to rise. [Namor, the Sub-Mariner #60-62]
The rising of Atlantis was as much a cataclysm as the original sinking was. More than sixty percent of the water-breathing population drowned in open air as the city rose above the waves. Llyron and Vashti took the survivors into hiding to recoup their losses. In the meantime, Namor enlisted the aid of Thor and the Fantastic Four against Morgan le Fey. 
Matters became even more complicated as the Genetics Council of the Inhumans also claimed Atlantis as their ancestral homeland, and circumstances led to Attilan being relocated from the moon on top of the existing Atlantean architecture. The Royal Family of the Inhumans were manipulated into defending the Genetics Council's land claim against Namor, an enmity that drove a wedge between the former allies. Morgan was defeated, but Attilan once again fell behind the great dome of a Negative Barrier, cutting off the Inhumans (and Atlantis) from the outside world. The Sub-Mariner was left on the outskirts of where Atlantis once stood, unable to save his people, slumped across the ancient throne of Kamuu, utterly alone once more. [Atlantis Rising crossover]
In his grief, Namor reached out for the few connections left to him. He returned to Four Freedoms Plaza, intent on joining the Fantastic Four and declaring his love for the widowed Susan Richards. [Fantastic Four (1st series) #403-405] Fate was not on Namor's side, however. His return coincided with the first real lead in months that Reed Richards actually survived his fate at the hands of Doom. Namor was pulled into a rescue mission for Richards that he secretly prayed did not succeed. Still, when Reed was found alive in the Hyborean Era, Namor put aside his personal feelings long enough to fight on Richards' side and bring him safely home. [Fantastic Four (1st series) #406-409]
A prince of the blood would not easily renounce his feelings, however. The Reed Richards they recovered was shellshocked from months alone in a bygone era. He was pessimistic and fearful of the threat called Hyperstorm, who had captured him in the first place, and timid next to the stronger leadership role Invisible Woman had taken in his absence.
Next to this man, Namor felt comfortable asserting his dominance and continuing his interest in Sue. Reed initially shrank from the challenge but, when he saw Namor physically grab Sue and insist she come away with him, that malaise vanished. Mister Fantastic attacked the Sub-Mariner and led him on a running battle through Manhattan over the woman they both cared for. When the Invisible Woman and Lyja finally separated them in a construction site, it was Lyja who whispered to Namor to finally pay attention to what was going on around him. And with that, Namor finally let himself see the great love Sue felt for Reed, even as she was chiding him for being so foolish. A heartbroken but honorable Namor continued the battle in order to take a dive against Richards, renewing his rival's self-confidence and paving the way for Reed and Sue's reconciliation. Lyja remained behind to thank the "unconscious" Sub-Mariner for stepping aside, but it did little to ease Namor's shattered dreams. [Fantastic Four (1st series) #411-412]
It was only days later that the entity known as Onslaught attacked Manhattan, putting many of Earth's heroes in peril. The Avenging Son of Atlantis put aside his feelings and arrived at Four Freedoms Plaza, offering his services to the Fantastic Four in the battle to come. Reed and Namor shook hands as allies, if not friends, and his help was accepted. In the final fight against Onslaught, Namor sacrificed himself alongside Captain America, the Four and many of Earth's Mightiest Heroes to destabilize Onslaught's energy form, allowing the X-Men to destroy the creature. Namor and the heroes were believed dead for several months in the aftermath, but had actually been transported to a pocket universe created by Franklin Richards. They were eventually located and Franklin guided the heroes through the Negative Zone until they returned to Earth-616 and reclaimed their missing lives. [Fantastic Four (1st series) #416, Onslaught: Marvel Universe, Heroes Reborn: The Return #4]