The Zeta-Tube test proceeded over the protests of some conservative Martians. The Tube exploded shortly after Manhunter entered,[2] having been sabotaged by a hidden Lor-Zod.[3]
The Science Center recovered from the explosion. Em'ree concluded the test was sabotaged, though it was unclear by who.[4]
Ma'aleca'andra March 23, 00:22UTC
As rumors of the explosion circulated even to the Royal Palace, Ma'alefa'ak was arrested for the sabotage, though there was no evidence against him except his presence. Em'ree contacted the Watchtower and confimed Manhunter made it there safely.
Miss Martian tried to get information from her brother, but ultimately he was released due to lack of evidence. Meanwhile, Prince J'emm J'axx visited the Science Center and charged Superboy and Beast Boy with solving his father's murder and the sabotage, which he believed may be connected.[4]
At the M'orzz home, M'gann, Conner and Gar reviewed evidence when they were visited by Prince J'emm to invite them to see the scene of S'turnn's murder. M'gann's parents reminded them they also had wedding responsibilities to attend to.
J'emm, Conner and Gar went to the Grand Hall of the Royal Palace, then met up with M'aatt M'orzz and B'arzz O'oomm.
At the M'orzz house, M'gann, Conner and Gar said their final goodbyes to Bio-Ship. Meanwhile, Ma'alefa'ak snuck into the Royal Arena and planted his gene-bomb.[1]
Ma'aleca'andra March 25, post-17:23UTC
As the Royal Arena was prepared for Prince J'emm's birthday celebration, Conner, M'gann and Gar reviewed the evidence of the King's murder once more. They found a lead which took them to the A'ashenn slums. They concluded a G'arrunn had masqueraded as an A'ashenn servant to infiltrate the Palace and kill S'turnn.
When they returned to the Arena and told Prince J'emm of this, J'emm went to confront S'yraa. She confessed she accidentally killed the king when she approached him for permission to marry J'emm and she lost control of her magic when he denied her. News soon spread through the crowd, and R'ess E'dda and J'emm addressed them with conflicting views on how Mars should go forward with its caste system. The birthday celebration then continued.
As Lor-Zod laced the gene-bomb with Kryptonite and left, Superboy heard him, leading him to find the bomb, though not the saboteur. Superboy took the bomb to a lava flow underneath the Arena to destroy it. He succeeded in destroying the virus but the bomb still exploded.[1]Phantom Girl arrived just in time to save Superboy, but both were sent to the Phantom Zone as a result.[6] Lor-Zod arrived just before the detonation, having travelled back in time from September 14, 2020 in a Time-Sphere programmed by Metron. The Sphere left without him, and Lor was killed in the explosion, leaving an ash stain on the walls.[7] When M'gann and the others arrived moments later, they assumed Conner was killed in the blast.[1]
On Baby, J'onn contacted Hawkwoman to discuss where the Kryptonite from the bomb could have come from. Later, M'gann said goodbye to her parents and she, J'onn and Em'ree headed back to Earth on Baby.[8]
In the comics, Ma'aleca'andra is the name of Mars itself, not just its capital. The name is a reference to "Malacandra", the name of Mars in C.S. Lewis' The Space Trilogy.