While playing strip poker, Clark leaves to answer a bank alarm, but upon arrival, a man exposes him to red kryptonite and he burrows 50 feet under the pavement. After two more exposures at two more robberies, his powers become increasingly stronger and when he accidentally hurts Lois, he stays away from her. Superman goes to Dr. Klein to find out why his powers have gone into overdrive, and Dr. Klein encourages him to look inward and relax, instead of acting on his anger.

Perry's son, Jerry, is out of prison and has been showering Perry with gifts from the money he has made by being paid to mess Superman up with red kryptonite. Jimmy and Jerry are each jealous of the other's relationship with Perry, and Jimmy investigates Jerry's possible involvement in the robberies. He gives the information to Lois, who warns him to tread carefully with his circumstantial evidence, but when she follows Jerry, she sees him get paid for a job.

Mr. Gadget and his son are planning to level every building in Metropolis with a machine that creates high frequency sound waves unless they get a billion dollars. They go to Jerry for his help in keeping Superman out of the picture. Jerry is skittish about a crime of this magnitude, but they threaten to kill Perry if he doesn't cooperate.

The mayor forbids Superman to use his powers for the city's safety, but when Mr. Gadget announces his plan, she reinstates him, and then sets up a sniper with a kryptonite bullet in case he should get out of control. Superman finds Mr. Gadget's machine, but Jerry exposes him to red kryptonite until Perry urges him to stop. Superman destroys the machine, dodges the bullet, and apprehends the criminals. Jerry goes back to prison and Lois and Clark go back to their card game.