Meet Talos, the original ancient robot: a towering bronze giant forged by Hephaestus to defend Crete from invaders. More than a mythic statue, Talos patrolled the island’s shores, hurled boulders at enemy ships, and could ignite his metal body until it blazed red-hot. But beneath all that power hid a single, devastating weakness—a tiny plug in his heel that kept the divine life-force flowing. In this episode, discover how the Greeks imagined gods turning metal into muscle, why even the strongest guardians fall, and what Talos reveals about the hopes and fears of a world on the edge of myth and technology.

Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!