Thunderbolt - Definition and Overview

This article is about the mythological weapon. For other meanings, see thunderbolt (disambiguation)

In many mythologies, lightning plays a role, and often has an affiliation with a certain god. The thunderbolt initially, just a lightning strike is often associated with the weapon of a sky god, usually a storm god. As such, it is an unsurpassed method of destruction, and thunderbolts as divine weapons can be found in most mythologies. The most familiar thunderbolt weapon for people in the west was that used by Jupiter in Roman literature and Zeus in the source materials of Greek mythology. These thunderbolts were manufactured by Vulcan exclusively for the use of Jupiter. Jupiter used his thunderbolts generally to strike down notorious criminals and divine opponents only.

• In Greek mythology, lightning and thunder are weapons of Zeus, given from Cyclopes.
• In Maya mythology, Huracan is sometimes represented as three lightning bolts.
• In Norse mythology, Odin's spear Gungnir is an embodiment of lightning. In addition, his son, Thor is specifically the God of Thunder and Lightning
• In Native American mythology, the Ani Hyuntikwalaski ("Thunder Beings") are beings that cause lightning fire in a hollow sycamore tree.
• In New South Wales, Australia, "Captain Thunderbolt" was a local Bushranger

Because of its association with divine vengeance, "thunderbolt" has been a common name for military devices.

See also Vajra.