Happy King, a crime boss, decides to get rid of Superman and hires a scientist who manages to synthesize Kryptonite.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Batman Gambit: The plan only works because Superman uncharacteristically unbolts the door to the basement where Lois and Jimmy are being held and walks inside, allowing King and his mooks to close and re-seal the door before they drop in the kryptonite. While the weakened Superman can't escape the room, had he smashed through the door in the beginning like he usually does, he would have had no problem getting away from the kryptonite. King took a big risk, as his entire plan's success or failure turned on that one point.
- Damsel in Distress / Distressed Dude: The criminals take Lois and Jimmy hostage to trap Superman.
- Endangering News Broadcast: Averted. Clark comments on how glad he is that Lois didn't say anything about Kryptonite in her latest article. Lois and Jimmy quickly assure him that their lips are sealed.
- Kryptonite Factor: This is the first appearance of Superman's weak spot, Kryptonite, on the show.
- Laser-Guided Karma: The villains discover that kryptonite can harm Superman, and use a tiny sample of the real substance to create synthetic kryptonite. They lure Supes into a trap, using Lois and Jimmy as hostages, then leave all three of them to die. Lois and Jimmy save Superman by wrapping the kryptonite in lead, and the Man of Tomorrow throws it into space—which is where the karma comes in. The three villains see this as they're driving back to Metropolis, and they're distracted enough that their car goes over a cliff, killing them all. To make it even more karmic, they tumble down the cliff they planned to throw Lois and Jimmy's car over.
- Lured into a Trap: Superman is lured within range of the Kryptonite while trying to rescue Lois and Jimmy.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: The crooks plan to throw Lois and Jimmy's car over a cliff to make it look like they crashed.
- Now, Let Me Carry You: With the help of a hint from Superman (usually the rescuer), Jimmy (usually the rescuee) finds a way to neutralize the radiation.
- Rescue Reversal: Superman gets locked in a room with Kryptonite while trying to rescue Lois and Jimmy. Jimmy neutralizes the radiation by shoving the Kryptonite into a lead pipe and stomping its ends closed.
- Screaming Woman: Lois doesn't scream, but she does spend her time fussing while Jimmy looks for some way to save Superman.
- Sealed Room in the Middle of Nowhere: The villains of the week shut Lois, Jimmy, and Superman into a basement room in their former hideout. The door is steel-plated and the villains threw a Kryptonite stick into the room, preventing Superman from breaking them out.
- Secret-Keeper: The episode ends with Lois and Jimmy promising not to reveal the existence of Kryptonite.
- Terrible Trio: Happy King, his henchman, and his Mad Scientist.
- You Did Everything You Could: After trying and failing to get rid of the Kryptonite, Jimmy uses the "I did everything I could" variant when apologizing to Superman for not being able to save him.
