Balor

Balor, also known as Balor of the Evil Eye, is a figure in Irish mythology. He is typically described as the leader of the Fomorians, a semi-divine people associated with chaos, the sea, and destructive powers. Balor is commonly depicted as a huge one-eyed giant, and his single eye is famed for its deadly power. He is said to keep the eye closed by his eyelid until battle, when it opens and his gaze can kill or devastate foes.

In the myths of the Mythological Cycle, Balor’s forces clash with the Tuatha Dé Danann. The most well-known tale recounts Balor’s death at the Battle of Magh Tuireadh. Balor is slain by his grandson Lugh, who uses a spear fashioned by the Tuatha Dé Danann’s smiths. When Balor opens his terrible eye, Lugh pierces it with the weapon, killing Balor and shifting the battle in favor of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Balor’s death is often interpreted as a turning point that marks the decline of the Fomorians and the ascendancy of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Scholars view Balor as a symbolic embodiment of primal chaos and the peril of the sea and storms. The Balor motif has influenced later literature and fantasy, where the name is sometimes used for characters or creatures inspired by the one-eyed terror.