i love my evil wife so much
Maddie Nolen Headcanons (because she did, in fact, deserve more screen time)
Born and raised in Noxus
An orphan: was abandoned as a baby at the steps of an orphanage
Regularly stole, fought, and lied in order to survive even in the orphanage. Breaking into the kitchens for extra food and framing another kid for it, pickpocketing for coin, planting evidence for revenge- you name it. Maddie learned survival the hard way. Through pretty words and hiding knives behind her back.
But of course she's still a kid, so she gets caught by adults eventually
Instead of punishment, someone takes a shine to her. Decides she'll need a mentor
She gets sponsored to join the imperial academy, where they test children's aptitude and put them wherever they're best suited. Maddie's on track to be a spy within a week
One of her hobbies since childhood was mimicry. She can mock any accent, and is good at mirroring behaviors. This makes her a star student in spy-training.
Her non-region-specific appearance makes her perfect for subterfuge abroad. This and her accent means she blends in with Piltovans. When she graduates with high marks, that's the first long-term mission they send her on.
Vi is actually more her type than Caitlyn is. In fact, she was kind of bummed that she was Caitlyn's rebound instead
Her surname (Nolen) isn't her birth name. It's the surname they give to all orphans (either at the orphanage or at the academy) in her age group that don't have one.
Her favorite perfume scent is lavender.
She has a range of talents besides fighting, because she's meant to be able to adapt to any situation. That includes entertainment (music, conversation, dance, etc) and basics in some STEM fields (basics in mechanics, etc.)
As a result of her training, she's immune to most poisons