After both a battle with an armored alien bounty hunter (name unknown) who leaves behind a capsule in the ocean that starts emitting an electronic signal into outer space, and being weakened after a titanic battle with the Parasite II (Rudolph "Rudy" Jones in a more monstrous form than before and with the addition of Dr. Torval Freeman's mind having been absorbed into him), Superman inexplicably finds himself shackled in chains and under arrest by a group of intergalactic law enforcement officers under the command of the Tribunal, an intergalactic court dedicated to justice in all of its many forms.

Having already discovered that one of his relatives contributed to the destruction of the planet Krypton and the annihilation of the Kryptonian race, Superman is found guilty of the crime by reason of ancestry and sentenced to death.

He allies with a few of them to escape; one of which is named Mope-Stattor Neer, a frail humanoid from the planet Thwire with the ability to adopt a faux-muscular appearance by inflating his muscles.

The Tribunal Prime (who is, by now, insane with power) plans to enact a fitting punishment for Superman; strapping him to a rocket and firing him into the green kryptonite cloud that is located where Krypton used to be.

After this, believing Superman to be dead, the Tribunal then turn to the Cyborg, whom they are interrogating and torturing in order to get a confession out of him: admission of his guilt for the destruction of Coast City and its inhabitants.

After a brief scuffle with Superman and his friends, the Tribunal Prime tries to leave the planet, but as he is now technically a convict, this is construed as escape, so Pollux and Ternion order him to be shot and killed on the spot.