The answer is: A stone hit the feet and broke them into pieces

Daniel 2:34

In the Book of Daniel, the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a colossal statue is packed with symbolism and meaning! This statue, composed of various metals—gold for the head, silver for the chest and arms, bronze for the belly and thighs, iron for the legs, and clay for the feet—represents the successive kingdoms of human empires through history. What’s truly fascinating is how the dream illustrates the idea that, despite the might of earthly powers symbolized by these metals, they are ultimately fragile.

When the "stone" strikes the feet of the statue, it stands for a divine intervention that crushes the susceptibility of worldly authority. Early readers would not have missed that the stone was cut not by human hands; it signifies a force that transcends human craftsmanship—perhaps an indication of higher spiritual truth crashing through the mundane. This "stone" grows into a massive mountain, an image echoing the establishment of a new divine kingdom that is everlasting.

Interestingly, this narrative paints a picture of resilience. The attention to how the metallic parts of the statue collapse, just as any great empire may fall, speaks to the cycles of history. Moreover, similar to how the stone represents hope for a better future, biblical themes often hint at the idea of resilience and redemption beyond iron-fisted rule. If we dig a bit deeper, other prophetic books—like Isaiah and Revelation—also speak of the triumph of a coming divine ruler whose reign peels back the layers of humanity's failures. This imagery inspires hope and articulates that change, no matter how world-altering, often starts as a simple but transformative event!