Ashe is the first (and so far the only) champion to possess both a global-ranged basic ability (Hawkshot) as well as two global-ranged abilities in total.
During Alpha Test, she was simply called 'Bowmaster'.
Prior to the League Client Update in 2016, Ashe was the only champion to be recognized as both a marksman and a support .
Her name references the ash tree, from Old English Ćsc, from Proto-Germanic *askaz.[1]
Her direct ancestor Avarosa was betrayed, yet still commemorated, by the Ice Witch with a single runeword carved onto the cairnstone; possibly from Latin avisbird & Rosa.
As of December 9, 2017 Ashe has featured on the free champion rotation more than any other champion at 76 times.
Development
Ashe is likely based on Guinsoo's DotA character, Traxex the Drow Ranger.
Both share very similar visual and gameplay designs, such as being played as marksmen in their respective games and the ability to shoot ice arrows to slow down opponents.
Lore
Ashe's True Ice bow belonged to her ancestor Avarosa, the ancient Iceborn queen of unified Freljord.
If Ashe, Sejuani, and/or Lissandra are played on opposing teams, Battle for Freljord will trigger. This in-game quest consists in one killing the other to earn the title of 'Queen of Freljord' (complete with a floating ice crown floating above their heads) referencing the civil war taking place there, between the three tribes each lead.
Quotes
"No, really, put that apple on your head... ugh! Ah... ohh... hmm... " references William Tell'sapple-shot.
She represents the aftermath of the Freljord Civil War in which the Avarosan win and unite the tribes, with Ashe becoming the queen and Tryndamere the king.
Rakelstake (the Freljordian capital) can be seen in the background.
Amethyst is a violet variety of Quartz, often used in jewelry. It is known as a meditative and calming stone which works in the emotional, spiritual, and physical planes to provide calm, balance, patience, and peace.
This fits perfectly Ashe's goals of peace, unification, and prosperity for the Freljord.
She is from an alternate future in which she was cybernetically augmented as part of the PROJECT Initiative, but is leading the resistance against it in the name of humanity.
If one tells her they fight for 'unity' she'll say the following:
The Avarosan (led by Ashe) are allied with the Frostguard (led by Lissandra) and engaged in a civil war with the Winter's Claw (led by Sejuani) over sovereignty of the Freljord.
Unbeknownst to all, Lissandra is the Ice Witch of Freljordian legend, who is actually waiting for the right moment to betray Ashe and destroy both hers and Sejuani's tribes in order to take over the Freljord and prepare for the Frozen Watchers' return.
As revealed by Lissandra, she herself is one of the Three Sisters who led the Iceborn uprising against the Watchers. Whether or not she knows Ashe and Sejuani are direct descendants of her sisters (Avarosa and Serylda, respectively) making her their great-aunt-many-times-removed is unknown.
Evidence to support Ashe's heritage stems from Ezreal's uncle Lyte stating her 'striking resemblance' to Avarosa herself, as well as the fact Ashe was coincidentally led to Avarosa's grave by a great hawk and recovered her ancestor's True Ice bow she carries with her to this day.
Ashe is close friends with Anivia and Nunu (and by extension Willump) All of them support her and the Avarosan's goal of peace and unification. Gragas is another supporter.
If the Avarosan win the war and both Ashe and Tryndamere become the new royal family, the boy and his Yeti partner will be appointed the Freljord's emissaries, and the Rabblerouser will struck a business partnership with them by being sold ownership rights of Freljord's Avarosa Iceflow Glacier (possibly in thanks for him helping the Avarosan settle matters with a smaller tribe by getting everyone drunk and drowning their troubles away)
Whether the new regents will marry strictly for political reasons or not is uncertain. All references to their relationship were removed in V3.6 due to the Freljord event also rewriting many champions' main lore.[2]
PROJECT [|] skin lines were also voiced by the same voice actress.
Magelord side of 
I will lead us back to what we've lost."
DE3FRE Plasma Bow
Chromas:
