An abandoned lighthouse on the Metropolis waterfront serves as the secret headquarters of the group known as A.P.E. (Allied Perpetrators of Evil). The members of the group consist of the villains Toyman, Prankster, Warlock and Lex Luthor, who demonstrates his new invention: a kryptonic beam projector. With a range of half a mile, Luthor vows the projector can destroy Superman if he is lured into that range.
At the Daily Planet building, Clark detects a distant fire alarm and secretly uses his telescopic vision to determine a ship is on fire in the harbor. Clark changes into Superman and flies to the ship but discovers the fire is fake as the smoke was caused by a smoke bomb.
Superman sees a fake fire hydrant launch into the air and intercepts it before it hits an approaching helicopter. However, moments later, a ray from Luthor's kryptonic projector strikes Superman as the A.P.E. members watch with glee.
Superman crashes into the water and swims away slowly before resting on land shortly thereafter.
The Toyman releases a mechanical woodpecker to wreak havoc on a nearby boat. Superman flies in to prevent disaster but is once again targeted by the ray projector. Superman jumps into the water to avoid the ray and finds a lead tube there.
A.P.E. thinks they have won but Superman flies at them inside the tube and easily deflects the Warlock's attack. Superman destroys the projector and captures the A.P.E. members in a fishing net.