Athena's parents are Zeus and Metis. An oracle told Zeus that his first child would be a girl, but his second child would be a boy, and overthrow him like he did his father. Zeus took this warning very seriously, and had to make a plan if he valued his power. He was clever, and flattered Metis, so she would not be suspicious, but comfortable. At the right moment, he swallowed Metis, and her unborn child. This is the last time you will hear of Metis, but the first time you will hear of Zeus's wisdom. As the years went by, Zeus developed a splitting headache. He soon can not take it, and lets out a cry of agony so loud, the earth rumbles. All the gods come to see what the problem is. Hermes proposes that they physically see what the problem is. They ask Hephaestus to split Zeus’s skull open, which I think is gross. When they split the skull open, out sprang Athena, in a full set of armor. Zeus passed his new wisdom to Athena, and she becomes the goddess of wisdom, intelligence, and battle. Link to my source.
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