Who is Hephaestus from The Iliad and what is their importance?

Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera, although, Hesiod insists that he is the son of Hera alone. He is the god of fire and the arts related to it, namely, smithcraft. He became lame after being thrown off Mt. Olympus for taking Hera's side in a quarrel with his father and is a master craftsman. Hephaestus crafted Achilles suit of armour.