How did the Polaris star transition into its current stage?

Polaris, also known as the North Star, is currently a supergiant star in the late stages of its stellar evolution. It began as a smaller main-sequence star, fusing hydrogen into helium in its core. As it exhausted its hydrogen fuel, Polaris expanded and cooled, transitioning into a red supergiant phase. Now, it is fusing helium into heavier elements, and eventually, it will shed its outer layers and leave behind a white dwarf or potentially undergo a supernova explosion, depending on its final mass.