Who is Red John?

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Ellis Mars

Ellis Mars
Suspected in 36 theories

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I have seen many theorys now, but only 1 make sense and that's Ellis Mars. Because he is the only one that fits the "he is mar" clue. Why would we get that clue when it doesn't fit any of the 5 suspects?

Please comment if you can make this clue fit anyone else.

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can you watch the mentalist live on cbs.com?

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First of all, I don't think Red John is on the list, for several reasons:
- the Mentalist isn't built as a common police movie with cases being solved by grueling grunt police work; the cases are solved by Jane's analytical brain and by his tricks, so the villain being caught by a dull process of elimination from a list given in the previous season would be against the spirit of the series
- if Jane really thought that RJ is on the list, he would have taped the 7 suspects talking and bring the tape to Rosalind Harker. He would have studied her reactions to hearing their voices and at the end asked if she recognizes anyone. The only reason PJ didn't do this is because he knows RJ is someone else.
- the list is fake as was the one left for Kirkland and is probably composed of tiger tiger members; Jane deceived his team before, he wouldn't trust them to keep the secret of the real suspects
- Heller only said that we can trust the list; that seems to me rather ambiguous, and precisely this lack of directness leads me to think that RJ is not there. He could have said : "Yes, sure, Red John is among those 7", and it would have been clear. Probably, the list contains the other bad guys, the corrupt cops.

None of his teammates could be RJ, beacause otherwise Lorelei would slip an information more relevant than  the simple: you shook hands with him.


My money is on Ellis Mars:

- he appeared before season 4; Heller said at the beginning of season 4 that RJ had already appeared
- he was a more of a background character in the Red Moon episode; Heller said that finding RJ is like finding Waldo
- he was in Jane's extended list of suspects
- he played the part of a bumbling fool who claimed he had psyhic powers, knowing that PJ wouldn't take him seriously; in an episode there was a criminal that pretended to be a half-wit but eventually got caught. Moreove, some serial killers like to stay close to the police and pretend to help them, as did Ellis in Red Moon
- he pretty much fits Rosalind Harker's description
- besides the fool act, he seemed well spoken and partial to wearing suits, just like RJ
- the most important clue: the message left by the hooker in Mexico: He is Mar. As others pointed out, "he" in spanish is el, so: EL is Mar, or Ellis Mars
- Mars, his name, is also the name of the RED planet

Just my two cents. :)


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I do not mean to sound condescending....but

It is Ellis Mars...

Have you ever thought about why Timothy Carter was cast because he is almost a twin of Mars...

Really, look still them side by side...Mars is the true payoff that we've been asking for...a where's Waldo type that will tie all of our loose ends up...

He is Mar = Mars

"Please excuse my brusqueness"!!!!! Reread the letter posted on Jane's daughters door again...the dialect is identical to Mars..."worm"

The other suspects are all flawed and we are enjoying the process...but a true RJ payoff will be something weaves through seasons 1 thru 6. Not writing as we go!

We'll see!

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Ellis Mars is Red John.

1)If we watch the episode called "Red Moon"in the third season. Todd Johnson (RJ disciple) show us all the time his little act of "revenge", but changed COMPLETELY his behaviour when he saw Ellis Mars. Todd Johnson could kill him . Why he didnt shot him? Because Ellis Mars is Red John. He was his leader thats why he did insist in his innocence.

2)Besides when the police told Todd that was found hair of his girlfriend in Mars's car he reacted surprised saying ''That doesnt make sense"' . He is not angry like happened with the other guy in fact he is nervous. Todd could be saved if Ellis goes to jail. Why did he covered him? Because Ellis Mars is Red John.

3)Todd died in prison because he knew that Red John is Ellis Mars. Its  the only motive for his death. He wasnt relationated to Red John in other way.

4)At the begining Ellis Mars says the killer will attack again He know it because Todd Johnson (theassassin ) is his disciple.

5) Ellis Mars has a tiger in his business card.

6) He waited patiently many hours to see Lisbon without distraction. Just like Sophie Miller said when he was at the waiting room before therapy.

7) He has all physical characteristics that Rosalind and Sophie told us. Height, age, strong hands,soft voice, etc

8) He is well spoken, good posture, just like Sophie said.

9) He is a "'psychic"', same as Patrick. Thats why he could identificate that PJ was a fake and did write him in the letter after the murder of his wife and daughter. Also thats why Kristina was interesting for him.She is a psychic too.

10)He is similar to Patrick, both are masters of manipulation and behaviour like Lorelei said. Also that explain why RJ is full of friends.

11) Mars. God of war acording roman mitology. He is relationated with the color red.

12) He continually is giving pats on the shoulder to everybody. Just like RJ did it with Jane at the end of season 2.

13) 'He is Mar"  writed on the bathroom. In spanish would be  "El es Mar" it sounds like Ellis Mar  Remember it was in Mexico. The prostitute probably writed. (her body is nearest to the wall)

14)When he meets PJ he says "I forgive your brusqueness. I can tell that you have been visited by great tragedy."

15) Nobody believes  that Ellis Mars is Red John. In The Mentalist the
killer is always the most unexpected person .Also thats why Bruno Heller
told we will be dissapointed when we discover who RJ is it.

16) He is on the list. Not in the final seven suspects but his name is writed in Jane's notebook. Bruno Heller said "the list is real ""but he didnt say what list it is!

 Sorry for my english. Greetings from Uruguay.




















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Okay, so I agree with those who postulate that Red John isn't any of the 7 on the list. Here's why. We have to assume that at the end of the day, Jane will have bested RJ, outsmarted him. If it turns out that RJ is one of the 7, then Jane gets his man but never really gets that "aha!" moment where he tricks RJ. SO, I think that it will turn out that Jane KNEW that RJ would get his list, one way or the other, so he made up TWO dummy lists. One that he would call his real list, and one that he admits is his dummy list. He wouldn't even tell Lisbon about the real list, because we keep seeing how unreliable she is at keeping secrets. And he know that this would put her life in jeopardy if RJ knew that she knew. Since Jane doesn't believe in ESP, he knows there no way that RJ could read his mind, BUT, he led him to choose the 7 that he wanted him to think are on the list. This would throw him off the fact that Patrick is getting close, and Patrick IS getting close, using RJ's actions in response to the list to further whittle down his actual list. I sure hope that this is the case, none of the remaining suspects are attractive candidates. And, in the end, I think it will be someone else, hopefully, my boy Ellis Mars, who most RJ seekers see only on the surface, missing his hapless brilliance, for reasons pointed out in an earlier post.... Either way, enjoy the final shows!!

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CROKUS9 posted a comment to my THEORY #6535 and made an extremely good point:

"And to add to your theory.. It was a Mexican prostitute who wrote " he is mar" on the wall..If Jared Renfrew told her to write it, he would have said "ellis mars" and to a spanish speaking person, Ellis Mars sounds like "el es mars" which means "he is mars"

Also:  the Mexican prostitute must have written is as she was facing the tile and Renfrew was not in position to have written it.

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