Following Superman's triumphant return to Metropolis, another rescue is underway -- that of Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, who is found buried in a basement, scruffy and with longer hair, but alive. Lois Lane embraces Clark, glad to see him alive again and thankful for Superman reuniting the two. Both Clark and Superman pose with Lois for a picture taken by Jimmy Olson for the occasion before Clark is taken to a hospital to be checked out. However, Superman finds that his name has now been trademarked by Rex Leech, which means he must cease and desist using his own identity's name unless he can reason with Superboy and his manager.

Later on, Clark, Lois, and Superman meet together at her apartment to reveal that it was Supergirl posing as Clark so that the world can know how Clark came back from supposedly being dead. Superman warns Supergirl about his run-in with Lex Luthor II, saying that he wasn't pleased with Superman not knowing her whereabouts. Supergirl simply says it's one of those things with Luthor that needs working out, but she is still pleased to help Clark and Lois and wishes them well as she turns invisible and departs.

While Clark and Lois are trying to figure out how he survived his brush with death, Doctor Occult appears to fill them in on the details. He time travels with them to witness Superman's battle with Doomsday and death. Unfortunately for Superman, re-watching all of this has the double effect of causing him to relive the pain of the experience. Contrary to Lois's pleas, Dr. Occult is powerless to stop it. He shows them that while Superman was close to death, his spirit actually did leave his body. Trapped between the living and the dead he fought various demons, and was aided by his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent, who had just recently suffered a cardiac arrest. Together they helped Superman resist the demons and return his spirit to his body.

His body in the mean time was still absorbing solar energy, slowing his death enough for the Eradicator to claim his body and put it into a Kryptonian Regeneration Matrix, where he was able to absorb the restoring energies of the Earth's sun. Armed with the knowledge of how he survived death, Dr. Occult then returns the couple back to their time, but in a field near the Kent farm in Smallville. Clark carries Lois to the farm and is happily reunited with his adoptive parents.

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