- You may also be looking for Aphrodite's apple
The Golden Apples were one of the foods of the gods, which would make the consumer an immortal or a god, depending on which bunch one consumed. The Olympian and Asgardian gods had access to different varieties of Golden Apples.
The Greek Golden Apples
The Greek variety of Golden Apple was stored in the Labyrinth of the Gods, growing from the Tree of Life. These Apples would turn consumers into immortals, but would not grant the powers of a god.
Callisto and Hercules traversed the Labyrinth of the Gods to collect the Apples. Hercules needed them to cure his poisoned friends and family, whilst Callisto wanted them to become immortal, her only way to get out of Tartarus permanently. ("Surprise")
The Norse Golden Apples
Odin, the ruler of the Asgardian gods, had access to a variety of Golden Apples that appeared to turn the consumer into a full god, complete with all the powers that go with the status. At the very least, these Apples were able to restore full godhood to former gods. Frigga was their primary keeper.
Xena fought Odin to retrieve his Apples, in order to restore godhood to Ares and Aphrodite. ("You Are There")
Mythology
The mytheme of Golden Apples appears in many mythologies from all over the world. In Greek mythology, there is no agreement on the special powers granted by the Golden Apples, and they may have just been supernatural luxury commodities. Obtaining the Golden Apples from the Garden of the Hesperides was the 11th of the Twelve Labors.
Melanion used golden apples given to him by Aphrodite to distract Atalanta so that he could win the race.
Paris was given a task to give a golden apple to either Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite. Each of the goddesses also offered Paris a gift as a bribe in return for the apple; Hera offered to make him the king of Europe and Asia Minor, Athena offered him wisdom and skill in battle, and Aphrodite offered to give to him the love of the world's most beautiful woman, Helen of Sparta, who was already married to King Menelaus. Paris chose Aphrodite, a decision that caused the Trojan war,
The Norse Golden Apples are more equivalent to the Greek Ambrosia, and were a vital food of the Norse Gods. The Norse apples also seemed to very specifically preserve the gods' youth, as opposed to giving them their general immortality or powers – the texts are unclear on the specifics, of course. In a minor change, the Norse apples are said to be held by Frigga in the Xenaverse, but in mythology, this was the province of a more minor goddess, Iðunn.
Appearances
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
- "Surprise"