Episode Recap: God's Gift to Zebras

Axl is starting to notice strange new stuff in his Godly world – like how woman are paying more attention to him. Oracle Olaf attributes this to what might be called the 'zebra effect' which, once you get through Olaf-logic, translates as these women know there is something different about Axl, but they're not sure what.  One of the women who seems to be paying attention to Olaf is Sonja, a librarian.  Axl likes it when she smiles at him – could she possibly be the Frigg…his one true love?

Ty is also experiencing weird stuff when it comes to the ladies.  An emergency call out to fix the beer fridge at an inner-city club leads to a passionate (but interrupted in an untimely fashion) encounter, over apple martinis, with Helen, the bar owner.  In the throws of this passion Ty feels warmth he hasn't felt since before he became a god.  Olaf feels overwhelmed by all the women-related issues happening in one day and he needs to ponder this.

This leaves both Axl and Ty to chart their own course through life for a while, so Axl decides to take things further with Sonja; which is when she throws a huge curve-ball his way by confirming that yes, indeed, she is Frigg.  Axl never ever imagined the Quest would be quite this easy. His brothers are also suspicious, but give Axl the go-ahead to pursue Sonja.  So Axl does, and gets thrown yet again when Sonja invites him to a party of gods at her house.

Meanwhile Ty takes things further with Helen – and starts to fall in love with her, like he does so often.  But when he and Helen finally consummate their lust, it starts snowing - in Ty's living room.  Out of this unusual occurrence Ty learns that Helen is, in fact, the goddess Idun, granter of youthfulness.

But when Ty takes this news to Olaf, the family Oracle has bad news for him, for as Odin is destined to be with Frigg, Idun/Helen's destiny lies not with Hod/Ty but with Bragi/Anders.  If Helen ever claps eyes on Anders, she will fall madly in love with him – and it will not end well for Helen. In this moment Ty's heart is broken (again) as he realizes that he can never be with Helen.

Axl, meanwhile, goes to the god-party and discovers that: (a) Sonja is only the goddess Frigg in a Norse-mythology-themed online game; and that (b) the actual goddesses, in the form of Michele, have got there before him.  In the swordfight that follows Axl learns that there is an alliance of goddesses dedicated to stopping Axl/Odin from achieving his quest. In this way the Johnson boys learn that they are fighting a war.

Later, Ty breaks up with Helen/Idun – which she seems to take in stride much easier than he does.  Olaf attempts to console Ty over a drink – but is of no consolation all.  Then Dawn enters the bar, fleeing a hen party gone feral.  And she smiles at Ty and his heart seems to be warmed once more...for now.