Character Analysis
"Magda can't stand to be left out of anything" (7.6), and maybe that's why she gets involved with the Chutengodians. Or maybe she has a little thing for Jason—whom she calls just to apologize for dumping a smoothie in his lap. We think Jason might not realize he's being flirted with.
He does recognize Magda's growing interest in Henry, however. Initially she thinks Henry's "kind of scary" (14.73), "but interesting" (14.75)—and by the end she says he's just "scary on the outside, sure. But he's got a good heart" (24.83). Before long she's strolling the mall with him. Jason's feelings for Magda impact his feelings toward Henry, and prompt the snarky remark that gets him decked by a crutch in the book's finale.
A Magda by Any Other Name
Do you know anyone named Magda? We don't, although it's certainly a verifiable name. But of all the names the author could choose, why Magda? Well we're aren't in Hautman's head, but we do recognize Magda as the name of the town that Mary Magdalene was from. See? It's even right there in her name: Magdalene. It's like calling someone "Joe Chicagoan."
Mary Magdalene is one of the few women mentioned by name that hangs out with Jesus in the Bible. In fact, the Gospel of Mark says that Mary Magdalene was the first person Jesus revealed himself to after he rose from the tomb (three days after being crucified). This is actually kind of a big deal, because back in the day women couldn't be considered legal witnesses, only men—so apparently Jesus thought pretty highly of Mary Magdalene to greet her first (and knock her socks off, we'd imagine).
As for the reason Mary was so into Jesus, apparently he had cast seven demons out of her previously. That's pretty solid reason in Shmoop's book. But where does that leave us when it comes to Magda? We're not saying that she is possessed, just that she is in the CTG "inner circle." And like Mary Magdalene with Jesus and his crew, it's a pretty bro-centric crowd she rolls with.