Master Bolt

"That's my father's symbol of power - Keraunos, though I suppose most people nowadays just call it the Master Bolt. Doesn't look too impressive when it's inactive, but when father uses it, oh boy, does that thing make hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."

- Apollo.

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.

Overview
The Master Bolt 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 Dionysus, with its power making Zeus' body tingle with energy when he wields it. When the Master Bolt is activated, the ends of the cylinder emit crystallized electric bolts, making it look like a classical lightning bolt. It can emit many tremendous bolts of lightning simultaneously.

The bolt itself is considered to be the most powerful of the three weapons forged by Arges, Brontes, and Steropes, and all of Zeus' later thunderbolts were molded after it. The Master Bolt Bolt is powerful enough to end the existence of an immortal being, like a god. It is apparently so powerful that when Zeus hurled it at Typhon, the blast was said to be enough to have made entire oceans evaporate, the sky to be set ablaze and even knock the Father of all Monsters off balance.

Description
The bolt itself is considered to be the most powerful of the three weapons forged by Arges, Brontes, and Steropes, and all of Zeus' later thunderbolts were molded after it. The Master Bolt is called the "nuclear arsenal of Mount Olympus" and Zeus' entire body tingled with power when when he first touched it.

When Zeus hurls the entire Master Bolt, it is a force of unsurpassable, nigh unstoppable destruction. Described as a column like blast of white-hot power, it has vaporized Kampê (daughter of Tartarus who had kept an iron grip on the Elder Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires), shorn off the top of Mount Othrys, ransacked Cronus' palace, and hurled the Titan off of his black throne. While Zeus could throw the entire Bolt for maximum damage, he could discharge hundreds of smaller, but still extremely powerful, blasts from it. Zeus used the Master Bolt this way to raze Salmone and wipe it off the map.

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 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 was said to be more powerful than Cronus' 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.

Titanomachy
Shortly thereafter, Zeus successfully wielded his new mighty weapon during the subsequent 10-year-long war with his father and the other Titans, known as the Titanomachy. 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 Cronus from his Black Throne, defeating the 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.

Quotes

 * "The Master Bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers." - Dionysus.


 * "Zeus' Master Bolt, It will destroy you if Zeus commands, you will cease to exist or he will banish you to the depths of Tartarus." - Raziel.

Trivia

 * All of Zeus' children have been threatened with the Master Bolt at least once in their life.
 * Sometimes, the bolt is thought to have been one of many stored in a sack or a bucket.
 * According to some myths, the Pegasus was given the task of carrying Zeus' lightning bolts.
 * It appears that Jupiter may not have a version of the Master Bolt, because when the demigod 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.

Image Sources

 * (Lightning Bolt.png) Lightning Bolt by terminator02
 * (Thunderbolt.jpg) Thunder from ???
 * (ZeussMasterBolt.png) The Master Bolt from ReadRiordan
 * (Zeus Master Bolt.jpg) Master Bolt on Kampê from Percy's Greek Gods