Uncle Jan
Game Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken First Seen Chapter 26x Night of Farewells Starting Class Brigand

“I... I... I'm just a cowardly old man”
— Jan

Uncle Jan is an NPC that appears in Chapter 26x Night Of Farewells in Fire Emblem 7. This is a Bonus Chapter that can only be unlocked if both Nino and Jaffar survive Chapter 26 and are recruited. His actual name seems to be Jan, however Nino only refers to him as Uncle Jan during the short period he appears in. He is one of the original members of the Black Fang.

Uncle Jan is first seen in the events before the battle in 26x where Sonia kills Brendan Reed. Jan rushes towards Brendan to see if he is still alive, however upon finding Brendan Reed dead he makes a quick retreat for fear of Sonia.

During the scene Jan appears to be a brigand class unit, wielding an axe. He is the colour green like all 'Other' units (units who are neither Enemy or Player Controlled) although he doesn't appear in the Battle within chapter 26x whatsoever.

Not very much is known about Jan, although it can be speculated that he may have been Brendan Reed's brother since Nino called him 'Uncle'. This however also could simply mean he was just a close retainer to Brendan Reed that was considered as close as a brother. This could be supported by the idea that the Black Fang were a more close knit, family-like organization before the influence of Sonia and Nergal. Note that Nino also calls Legault "Uncle" in a support conversation.

Jan can also be considered a coward. After the Chapter 26x Battle Jan calls himself a coward for not fighting with Nino and the others against Sonia. It can also be noted that Jan appears to care for Nino as if she were his 'niece'.

After the 26x Battle Uncle Jan has a conversation with Nino about her past, and about how Brendan Reed knew about some of her past. After the conversation Jan will give Nino a pendant that apparently belonged to her late mother who Sonia had killed.

Uncle Jan has been called "The most seemingly recruitable" character in the game he is in. At several points it seems as though Jan could become recruitable, however instead he simply gives Nino the pendant and says his goodbyes. For a while during the conversation after the Chapter 26x Battle it seems as though Uncle Jan may join the group (and the fact he appeared as a fighter unit earlier would support player's hopes) but alas he is not recruitable. Many players of the game attribute this to the abundance of Axe-wielders that could already have been obtained by that point in the game.

He is also the only NPC brigand in all the Fire Emblem games (Gonzales being a recruitable enemy), and despite being a member of the Black Fang, is the only non-antagonistic character of the brigand class in all of FE7.

Quote Edit

The conversation Jan has with Nino after 26x. Caution: Spoilers below.

Jan: Dear little Nino.
Nino: Uncle Jan! I'm so glad you're safe!!
Jan: Yes. I didn't even fight. I just hid. I... I... I'm just a cowardly old man... When that woman killed the commander, I could do nothing...
Nino: Father... He's dead, isn't he?... Even though I wasn't his real daughter, he treated me kindly. And yet... Moth-- Sonia......
Jan: ......You learned the truth?
Nino: Uh-huh.
Jan: I see... Let me return this to you, lass.
Nino: A... pendant?
Jan: It belonged to your real mother. The commander never fully trusted Sonia. He had his agents investigate her past. He uncovered much... Like where you'd come from. He was able to speak to a woman who worked in your house. When he told her about you, she wept with joy. She asked that you be given this.
Nino: ......I loved the Black Fang. Nergal and Sonia have ruined it, but... The Black Fang that my father and my brothers made... Everyone was so kind, I thought of them as my family...
Jan: Mmm...mmm. That was a good time.
Nino: Uncle Jan... Thank you. The pendant, I'll cherish it.
Jan: Take care, lass. ...Be happy.
Nino: Goodbye, Uncle. See you again. Someday...