Archivillain Lex Luther has finally found a way to keep Superman at bay, thanks to a simple gold ring set with a Kryptonite stone. But the Kryptonite proves dangerous to humans, too, causing Luthor to lose his hand to radiation poisoning. Faced with declining health, Luthor fakes his own death, returning to plague the Man of Steel once more in a young, vital body with a full head of hair.