Superman Blasts from the Past: Part I (1996–2000) Online

From a secret compartment just discovered by a scientist at Star Labs, an small projector enables Superman to get a look at something he knows existed in Krypton: "the phantom zone," a place where they imprisoned dangerous aliens.

The next thing you know, a ray burst comes out of the projector and some giant insect-like creature comes and flies away, crashing through the ceiling. The alien winds up back in the projector, thankfully, before he creates much more damage.

What this episode really is about is another prisoner in that "Phantom Zone," a woman named Mala, who used to be second-in-command of Planetary Defenses. Mala and the commander, Jax-Ur, wind up thirsting too much for power Their overthrow of the military is thwarted and Jor-El, Superman's father, sentences Jax-Ur to life imprisonment in the Zone. Mala, whom the council saw more sympathetically, was given a 20-year sentence. She is in the projector and is yelling for her freedom because she's served her time. She, of course, doesn't know there is no Krypton anymore.

Superman learns all of this after going back to his North Pole underground place of knowledge, or whatever it's called. Soft-hearted Superman decides to grant Mala her wish and, through a knob on the projector, she's now on Earth. Superman takes her to a retreat area to fill her in on what this planet is and how she, too, will have super powers once the sun rays start penetrating her.

You just know this is a mistake and this an evil woman who is going to cause problems, but I could be wrong. I won't say anymore, for those who haven't watched this episode or series.