As a cultural expert, I can provide some insights into the symbolism behind the question. The association of gods of death with apples is not a universal belief but rather a specific cultural reference, most notably from Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, the goddess of the underworld, Persephone, is said to have eaten a pomegranate seed, which tied her to the underworld and allowed her to be with both her husband, Hades, and her mother, Demeter, for parts of the year. This story is often associated with the changing of the seasons.

However, apples are not typically associated with death gods in mythology. The connection between apples and death might come from a misunderstanding or a mix-up with other cultural references. For example, in Norse mythology, the apple is associated with the goddess Idunn, who provides apples to the gods to keep them young. There is no direct link between apples and death gods in this context.

In modern popular culture, the image of a god of death with an apple might be a creative or symbolic choice made by an author, artist, or filmmaker to represent the idea of temptation, knowledge, or the cycle of life and death.

read more >>

He likes apples from the human world because they are "so juicy". Ryuk stated that apples are an addiction for him, like alcohol or cigarettes for humans. Ryuk exhibits symptoms of withdrawal if he goes without eating apples for a while. ... Another Shinigami, called Sidoh, does love chocolate instead of apples.read more >>