Lots of action, very little rational thinking
This issue features several interesting concepts and subplots but ultimately leads nowhere. The thought processes of the various characters are mostly irrational to the point of having to question their sanity.
The story begins with a domestic scene at Xavier Mansion. Jean has cooked dinner and the male X-Men are about to eat. Xavier helpfully explains that this is not something Miss Grey regularly does, but its the "cook's day off". The X-Men have a cook? This is the first mention of the Mansion having any staff. Cyclops blasts the Beast for Hank's poor table manners, reaching across the table. Scott does so with a smile on his face. The Angel notes it as the first time Scott smiles in months. Hoping Mr. Summers starts doing so more often. The scene is interrupted with Xavier noting press reports on Namor and figuring the Atlantean is a mutant.
Great minds think alike. Magneto thinks so too. He wants to press him into service. He starts preparing advanced weaponry to use in case the Prince gives him a negative reply. At this point Mastermind decides to practice his powers, projecting an image of Cyclops. Magneto fires at the image. Mastermibd barely manages to evade being shot. The stray energy beam almost gets the Scarlet Witch. Quicksilver rescues her seconds before the blast obliterates her. Magneto does not apologize for almost killing two of his people. He simply warns Mastermind to quit trying his powers on him.
Magneto and Professor X next use their mind powers to create astral projections of themselves and search the Oceans for Namor. Xavier enjoys this form and bemoans his physical body is not as free. Once Xavier realizes Magneto is on the same quest, he decides to quit. Allowing Magneto to get to Namor first,certain he can locate Magneto and Namor at a latter point. Charlie the master strategist or too lazy for his own good?
Anyway, Magneto does locate Namor's current residence, an undersea castle. Most Atlanteans have abandoned Namor, only a handfull of followers still surround him. Judging by his behavior, you would think these followers are masochists. Namor is having a temper tantrum because Susan Storm has spurned him. He forces all his followers to run or face his wrath. Magneto figures it is not the proper time to offer an alliance. He picks a random Atlantean and offers him power in exhange of delivering a message to Namor. This pays off a few pages later. The message is that Namor is a mutant, Magneto is a mutant and the two can ally based on this alone. Namor thinks it makes sense.
Meanwhile, Xavier explains to the X-Men that he has estimated the location of the Brotherhood's new headquarters, an unnamed island of the North Atlantic. A flashback explains that the island hoasts a giant horseshoe magnet which Magneto uses to amplify its powers. The island had been located by a freighter. Magneto had said freighteer immediately transported to a spot fifty miles to the South of Bermuda. Since the crew survived and reported the incident, Xavier knows how to find his rival. No good deed goes unpunished. Magneto should have drowned this sailors instead of ensuring their safety.
Namor arrives at said island. He refuses to even allow Magneto to speak without permission. Magneto figures he needs something to influence the Prince. So he shoves the Scarlet Witch right next to Namor. Hoping the amorous prince will fall for her. It kind of works. Wanda thinks Namor is hot stuff, Namor seems to like her. But then the Angel attacks. The X-Men have arrived. In the initial skirmish Namor easily defeats the Angel, while Marvel Girl uses her telekinesis to spin Quicksilver around. Leaving him dizzy and easy to capture.
For some reason Magneto, Mastermind, Toad and the Scarlet Witch put up no real fight. Magneto wants to flee even if it means leaving Quicksilver behind. Only Wanda protests the decision. When Magneto threatens her for disobeying him. Namor turns on him. Namor explains his lack of appreciation for men who treat women like that. He takes Wanda under his protection. The fight between the two powerful mutants will have to wait. The X-Men have found them again.
The X-Men demonstrate some tactical incompetence. The Beast and Angel perform physical attacks which barely register with Namor. Cyclops attacks only once the two others are down and his blasts have little effect on the invulnerable Atlantean. Iceman sits by doing nothing, Jean isn's even in the roon. A little latter Xavier, Jean and the captive Pietro arrive. The Professor makes a poor first impression on Namor and fails to really delives a sales pitch for recruitment. Once Xavier returns Pietro to Wanda, Namor leaves. He notes being attracted to Wanda but his bad experience with Susan has made him reluctant to pursue another surface-dweller. After surviving a last minute attack by Magneto, Namor leaves. The Brotherhood also escapes, with Magneto recalling Pietro and Wanda to his side. Xavier comments that he would like the duo to join the X-Men on their own free will. But he has again failed to deliver a sales pitch. Jean comments that she sees Wanda as competition.
In summary: 1) Magneto alienates Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Namor and possibly Mastermind. 2) Xavier has led the X-Men into a recruiting drive which completely fails. He resigns the effort to recruit Namor and the two reluctant members of the Brotherhood, failing to offer any convincing explanation on why they should join. 3) Namor has gained no real ally and runs away from a potential love interest. He has also done a good job of scaring his last supporters. For great leaders the trio act with no sensse of foresight.
Discarded sub-plots include: 1) the Atlantean scheming to replace Namor. He is not even given a name, much less resolution 2) the Namor-Scarlet Witch romance is not touched again, 3) Magneto has lethal weaponry which he fails to use on the X-Men.
