Who Is Najma in Ms. Marvel? (& Why Is Kamran’s Mother Important)
Episode 2 of Ms. Marvel expanded on the overall lore of the series with the introduction of new characters as well as with the focus on Kamala Khan’s family history and how her bangle is connected to her estranged great-grandmother. Of course, we also got to see the introduction of Kamran, an important character in the Ms. Marvel comics. But we also saw a character named Najma for the first time in the series. So, who is Najma in Ms. Marvel, and why is she important?
Najma is Kamran’s mother in Ms. Marvel. There is a good chance that her importance could be seen in the fact that the series explores Kamala’s family’s history and how the bangle is tied to her ancestry. In that regard, Najma could know a thing or two about Kamala’s great-grandmother Aisha.
We have seen in the episode that Kamala’s mother and grandmother were not willing to share what they knew about Aisha and the history surrounding the bangle. In that regard, Kamala might learn more about it from Najma, whose family might have some sort of a connection with Aisha. So, with that said, let’s look at what we know about Najma in Ms. Marvel.
Who Is Najma In Ms. Marvel?
One of the things that we have seen in Ms. Marvel thus far is the focus on culture and tradition. A good part of this new MCU series emphasizes a lot on allowing us to see more of the Pakistani Islam culture that Kamala Khan’s family holds dear. On top of that, the focus on the family aspect of the series is also quite obvious, considering that Kamala is trying to get to know herself more and how her identity could be tied to her family’s history.
Of course, we already know that Kamala now wields the mysterious bangle that allows her to create constructs that can solidify. But what we know nothing about is the history behind this bangle, considering that this is something entirely new to the Disney+ series and is not in the comics. That is why a good part of episode 2 of Ms. Marvel focuses on Kamala’s attempt to learn more about her family’s history.
It was also during this episode that Kamala met a new student named Kamran, who immediately warmed up to her when they met at Zoe’s party. When the cops came to the party, Kamran invited Kamala and her friends for a drive in his car to escape the police. That was when they got to know each other a bit more. And Kamran set up a date with Kamala by giving her his number.
After that, Kamala and Kamran went out together and talked about their respective families. Kamran mostly talked about his mom and her obsession with Kingo Sr. (yes, the same Kingo from Eternals). He also told Kamala that he and her mom were very close.
Finally, at the end of the episode, Kamala was seen getting chased by some agents who were trying to apprehend her for some reason. However, she was able to escape with the help of Kamran, who was quick to offer her a ride in her car. But a woman named Najma was in the backseat. So, who is Najma?
Basically, Najma is Kamran’s mother, who he said he is close with because they often move together. But we are yet to know more about Najma because she seems to be a new Marvel character.
Kamran is indeed in the comics, but his family background wasn’t as explored as it is in the live-action series. In that regard, anything we know about Najma is speculative in nature. However, we do believe that her identity is connected to Kamala’s past.
Why Is Karman’s Mother So Important?
The fact that Kamran’s mother Najma was introduced at the end of episode 2 points to the huge possibility that she is an important character in Ms. Marvel. And we can guess this from the fact that Kamala spent a good part of the episode trying to learn more about her family’s history.
In the scene after her date with Kamran, Kamala and the Khan family were having dinner in their house together with Kamala’s brother’s fiancé. Kamala’s father began telling the story of Muneeba’s past and how Kamala’s mother’s family was able to get to Pakistan from India during the Partition. He told her about how Muneeba’s mother Sana was able to escape on a train with the help of “stars” that she stepped on. Kamala immediately thought that these stars were the same constructs that she could create with the help of the bangle.
Kamala, throughout the entire episode, tried to learn more about her great-grandmother, Aisha. However, both her mother and her grandmother were not willing to share any details about her because of the belief that she brought “great shame” to the family. In fact, Muneeba’s reason for moving to America was to escape the shame that came with being related to Aisha.
But it was never explained in the episode what Aisha did and how she brought shame to her family. That was what Kamala was trying to know throughout the entire episode as she even asked the different uncles and aunties of their mosque during their celebration of Eid what they knew about Aisha. However, their knowledge of her great-grandmother was limited as well.
During the Eid celebration, a child got stuck on top of the mosque building and was clinging on to his life when he was close to falling. Kamala, in her Captain Marvel costume, came to the rescue. She used her power to create a solid foothold for both her and the child. After that, she hopped on the building and tried to assist the boy.
However, as she was assisting the boy, Kamala saw a vision of a woman that may actually be Aisha. She lost her concentration but was still able to cushion the boy’s fall by creating more constructs. Kamala subsequently fled the scene but was chased by drones and some agents who were set on bringing her in.
Before the agents could corner her, Kamran’s car came to the rescue as the dreamy boy told her to enter the vehicle. That was when she met Najma, who said the words: “Kamala, I’ve been waiting a very long time to meet you.”
The fact that Kamran knew that the rip-off Captain Marvel was Kamala and the fact that Najma said she had been waiting to meet her meant that there was something going on with Kamran’s family. And this could all be related to Aisha once more.
It is possible that, considering that Najma’s family is also from South Asia, Kamala’s maternal side of the family could be connected with Kamran’s ancestry as well. It might be possible that Najma is the one who would be willing enough to tell her what Aisha did in the past, considering that this could be a story that had been passed down in their family as well. This is why, in the trailer, Najma could be seen asking Kamala in the Ms. Marvel trailer if she knows what she is.
In that regard, the key to Kamala learning more about her past could be Najma because she might use this to recruit her into their order of supervillains. Of course, those who know who Kamran is would know that he is a villain in the comics.
So, it might be possible that Najma is the leader of their group of villains in the Ms. Marvel live-action series and that she is trying to use Kamala’s past and her knowledge of Aisha to bring her closer to them.
Then again, these are all just speculations on our part as we are not privy to what could happen in the next episode of Ms. Marvel. But we are leaning toward the possibility of Kamran and Najma being the big baddies that Kamala is seeking to stop in this MCU series.
