Of course Sue and Steve take advantage of Namor. Almost all the heroes do. They all come knocking when they need Namor, and Namor constantly compromises and is willing to see the bigger picture when there are disasters, that large dangers threaten all, which includes his people. Yet when shoe is on the other foot, when Atlantis and her people are threatened (which is constantly) even the slightest reaction by Namor to protect or defend his people is met with immediate hostility and defensiveness on the part of Steve and the other heroes. It's shockingly myopic and un-heroic, and frankly diminishes them every time I see it. This issue is so extreme and one-sided that it always gets to the boiling point of Namor losing his s**t after being ignored and being pushed to the edge of retaliation or war with the surface. Which of course is only used to reinforce their ignorant and arrogant misconception that Atlantis and Namor are the enemy.
Just think of this last FF issue, Atlantis is literally shown in ruins, and we're told by Reed that her people are gone, dead or scattered, while Reed essentially shrugs and says the surface has the power to do this a thousand times over. Could you imagine if Atlantis did this to a surface city? Could you imagine the gigantic crossover and endless issues of surface heroes talking about how much of a dangerous threat Atlantis is and how evil they are to have weapons like this and be willing to even threaten to use them? We already saw the way one surface nation (Wakanda) reacted when Namor, under the influence of an a**hole cosmic entity, unleashed a tidal wave on a city. All of Wakanda saw all of Atlantis as
The Enemy and we were treated to years of tiresome one-sided Wakanda vs Atlantis garbage. If only Marvel afforded Atlantis the same right to go absolutely ballistic if any outside entity dares attack or interfere with their kingdom as it does Wakanda.
Yes, we all know about the times Namor has attacked the surface with ships and monsters, but this is like the earliest Silver Age stuff that's as old as Namor kidnapping Sue. And even then it was a case of Namor and the surface not understanding each other. (and Atlantis being bombed and poisoned, as usual)
The issue of Sue and Namor is a whole other can of worms. A lot of which stems from nearly every one of these encounters coming from books where Namor is a guest-star at best, or more usually the morally ambiguous sometimes ally, sometimes villain. The difference between Namor in FF or Avengers books vs Namor in his own books is that when in other books he's obsessed with the main characters and old Silver Age grudges and relationships, yet in his own books almost none of these issues ever seem to cross his mind. The Namor in his own stories reminds me of the old Mad Men elevator meme with the surface heroes condescendingly saying to Namor "I feel bad for you." with Namor replying "I dont think about you at all."
It's interesting seeing the different reactions over in the FF thread.