#a long ass rant to say nothing... on brand but still AIDSJAFDJF

[warmothered]

hc + 🗡 for a weapon-themed headcanon , can we hear more about the bow ...

» — >  ⌜ PROMPTS & IC ASKS⌟ , always accepting

— @windchaser

ashe's bow is said to have belonged to avarosa herself, once upon a time. it's impossible in universe to know for certain, though from a writer point of view that does seem to be the case. much like ashe doesn't believe she is avarosa reborn, she doesn't personally care if the bow belonged to the divine figure. she reveres the three sisters as much as anyone else in the freljord — it's the association of that divinity with herself she doesn't care for, though she's not above using it.

the bow ties into that because it's the greatest 'proof' and symbol of her connection to avarosa. in her short story, there's even a paragraph about it, and about how people make the association between her and avarosa because of the bow:

Inwardly, she grimaced. As so often, she wondered if it was her leadership that drew them all together, or the weapon she carried. It was the symbol of Avarosa, and many in the Freljord believed that, as its wielder, she was Avarosa reborn. Ashe slung the bow over her shoulder and shook the thought. Why they joined wasn’t as important as what they had become. She hopped off the stage and moved into the crowd as they dispersed to feast-laden tables.

so not only the bow is a weapon, it's a very important symbol, one that makes people believe her and her cause, even if they do so because they think she's connected to a divine being she doesn't feel connected to at all. but like i said, ashe is not above using it. if it's that belief that unites people, and if it's the bow that secures their beliefs, then so be it — she'll use it in a ceremony and let everyone see her wield it if it's what it takes for them to follow her.

unrelated but still about the bow: we see other weapons of true ice or containing true ice, like braum's shield being encrusted with true ice, olaf's axes being tempered with it, trundle's club and sejuani's weapons, but i think it's interesting ashe's bow is the only one entirely made of true ice, with no handle or parts that are made of more ordinary materials. i also think it makes it more difficult to wield, even for an iceborn — because although it's said only the iceborn can wield true ice, it's also suggested some preparation can be done and that it's painful nonetheless. in her short story, ashe says even after a long time with the bow it is still painful to use it (in the way holding anything made of ice for too long would be, i imagine), she just learned to deal with the feeling and let the cold clear her mind instead of being a hindrance. and i just think it'd make sense that the more true ice there is in a weapon, the harder it'll be to wield and withstand the cold.

basically i think it's powerful as a weapon and difficult to master as anything entirely made of true ice would be, but i also think its symbolic significance is very important, perhaps the most important reason why it's ashe's bow. of course, she wouldn't settle for a common one instead of a true ice one because the true ice weapon is just more powerful (it does conjure ice arrows from nothing, and the falcon spirit that grants her sight). but say there was some other true ice bow, this one is the one people believe belonged to avarosa, and it makes people listen and brings them to her cause and that's also part of why it's important to ashe.

there's the personal bond too, of course. she found it as a teenager, after losing her entire tribe, because her mother's desperate quest to find the throne of avarosa led her to the bow. it saved her life; it's what her mother and her fathers sacrificed themselves for her to get. it's just deeply tied to tragedy and legacy and purpose and solace at the same time. over the years, i'd say it became a source of comfort, too, and that she's usually ill at ease if her bow is too far, regardless of having other weapons.