In modern literature and media, the golem has taken on a variety of different forms and abilities. Some works of fiction have portrayed golems as being made from materials other than clay, such as metal or even living organisms. Others have given golems supernatural abilities, such as the power to shapeshift or control elements like fire or water. Overall, the evolution of the golem in fiction has been marked by a broadening of its abilities and an increasing diversity in its appearances and origins. Despite these changes, however, the core idea of the golem as a powerful, artificial being created for a specific purpose remains a constant theme throughout its fictional history.