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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 HyuntikwalaskiIn Native American mythology, (particularly in the Cherokee tribe) the Ani Hyuntikwalaski ("Thunder Beings") are beings that cause lightning fire in a hollow sycamore tree. Ani Hyuntikwalaski is also the name of the Western Marker of The Lost Island Stone ("Thunder Beings") are beings that cause lightning fire in a hollow sycamoreSycamore is a name applied at various times and places to three very different types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The sycamore (or sycomore) of the Bible is a species of fig, Ficus sycomorus or fig-mulberry, native to the Middle East an tree.

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

See also VajraVajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond and refers to a symbol important to both Hinduism and Buddhism. The equivalent word in Tibetan is dorje or dorji which is also a common male name in Tibet and Bhutan. Dorje can also refer to a.