Thunderbolt - in The Modern World

In The Modern World

The thunderbolt or lightning bolt continues into the modern world as a prominent symbol; it has entered modern heraldry and military iconography.

In iconography

• The thunderbolt is used as an electrical symbol.
• The thunderbolt is also used to separate the letters "AC" and "DC" in the name of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC.

In fiction

• The thunderbolt is the symbol for the DC Comics characters Captain Marvel and the Flash.
• In Harry Potter, the thunderbolt (or lightning bolt) is Harry's forehead scar.
• In the novel The Godfather, "being hit with the thunderbolt" is a Sicilian expression referring to a man being spellbound at the sight of a beautiful woman. The novel's emerging main character is affected in this fashion and eventually marries a woman whose appearance initially hit him like a thunderbolt.