Master Bolt

The **Master Bolt** is the symbol of Zeus' power, which all other lightning bolts are patterned after. It is the first and most powerful weapon that the Elder Cyclopes made for the Olympian gods.

### Forging the Master Bolt

Zeus' eldest brother, Hades, was very skilled in navigating under the earth, was able to lead all of his siblings into Tartarus, with the intention of freeing the Elder Cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, and Steropes) and Hekatonkheires (Cottus, Gyges, and Briares). All six of them were imprisoned in the maximum-security zone of Tartarus, surrounded by huge bronze walls, and a lava moat, guarded by fierce demons. Their guardian, Kampê, was the most ferocious and fearsome monster in all of Tartarus, and even Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades initially shuddered with horror when they saw the infernal monster for the first time. However, the gods overcame their fear, and were able to sneak in. Zeus managed to talk to the Cyclopes Brontes, and convinced him to forge powerful weapons for him and his siblings (which would be more powerful than Kronos' Scythe) behind Kampê's back. Together with his brothers Steropes and Arges, Brontes forged three incredibly powerful weapons, the first of which was the Master Bolt, which was given to Zeus. The power of the Bolt made Zeus' body tingle with energy, and he tested his new mighty weapon on a huge nearby bolder, which was instantly blasted to dust. Shortly thereafter, Kampê noticed the gods' presence, and proceeded to attack them. However, Zeus once more utilized the Master Bolt, and instantly incinerated the mighty monster by many simultaneous tremendous bolts of lightning.

The bolt itself is considered to be the most powerful of the three weapons forged by Arges, Brontes, and Steropes (making a mortal hydrogen bomb look like a firecracker in comparison), and all of Zeus' later thunderbolts were moulded after it.

### The First Titanomachy

Shortly thereafter, Zeus successfully wielded his new mighty weapon during the subsequent 10-year-long war with his father and the other Titans. The Titans initially had the upper hand in the battles, since they were very skilled, and much more experienced warriors. Zeus, however, quickly became a skilled, dangerous, and ferocious warrior as well, and, together with his siblings and uncles, ultimately prevailed against his Titanic foes. During the final battle, Zeus used his Master Bolt to shear off the top of Mount Othrys, and hurl Kronos from his Black Throne, defeating the evil Titan King.

### Zeus' Symbol of Power

After the Titanomachy, the gods (who now called themselves the Olympians) chose Mount Olympus as their official residence, and Zeus as their King. Hence, while the Master Bolt remained Zeus' personal weapon in times of need, it also became his symbol of power, along with his pet eagle. He wielded it on multiple occasions, most notably while fighting Typhon, his greatest foe of all.

## Description

It is a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade Celestial Bronze capped on both ends with god-level electrical explosives. It is stupendously powerful, "makes mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers" according to Chiron. When the Master Bolt is activated, the ends of the cylinder emit crystallized electric bolts, making it look like a classical lightning bolt.

## Abilities

The first of the weapons created by the Elder Cyclopses, Zeus' Master Bolt is possibly the most powerful weapon in existence. In *The Lightning Thief*, Chiron mentions that it is after this bolt all other lightning bolts are fashioned. In *Percy Jackson's Greek Gods*, the Master Bolt is called the "nuclear arsenal of Mount Olympus." Zeus' entire body tingled with power when when he first touched it.

* **Cataclysmic Explosion**: When Zeus hurls the entire Master Bolt, it is a force of unsurpassable, nigh unstoppable destruction. According to Chiron, its firepower "makes mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers." Described as a column like blast of white-hot power, it has vaporized Kampê (daughter of two Protogenos who had kept an iron grip on the Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires), shorn off the top of Mount Othrys, ransacked Kronos' palace, and hurled the Titan off of his black throne. In *The Last Olympian*, when Zeus hurls it at Typhon (with enough force to nearly knock the colossal monster off-balance), the blast "lights up the world", and Percy can feel the shock-wave of the impact many miles away.
* **Electric Blast**: While Zeus could throw the entire Bolt for maximum damage, he could shoot smaller, but still extremely powerful, blasts from it. In *Percy Jackson's Greek Gods* when he first received it, he aimed it at a boulder, and "a thousand tendrils of lightning zapped it to dust."
* **Lightning Bolts**: The Master Bolt can discharge hundreds of smaller lightning bolts. Zeus used the Master Bolt this way to raze Salmonea and wipe it off the map.

## Sheath

In *The Lightning Thief*, Ares claims that the backpack he gave to Percy was the Master Bolt's sheath, only morphed a little bit to disguise it. It is unknown whether the backpack was an actual sheath that belonged specifically to Zeus. According to Ares, the bolt is magically connected to the backpack/sheath and will always return to it when lost, much like Percy's sword. This heavily implies that the sheath was stolen from Zeus. In *The Blood of Olympus*, however, Zeus is shown to simply clip the Bolt to his belt when not wielding it.

## Trivia

* It appears that Jupiter may not have a version of the Master Bolt, because when Percy mentioned it to Hazel she didn't appear to know what he meant. However, it is possible that she simply had never heard of it, or that it had a different Roman name.
* A stylized version of it is the astronomical sign of the planet, Jupiter.
* According to some myths, Pegasus was given the task of carrying Zeus' lightning bolts.
* As shown in *Percy Jackson's Greek Gods*, the Master Bolt was the first weapon forged for the Olympian gods by the Elder Cyclopes.
* The Norse counterpart of the Master Bolt is Mjolnir.