Who is Red John?

Theories of BOBKIRKLANDISALIVE (20)

No theory here.

Just a recap of possibly one of my best Patrick Jane moments on the Mentalist.

A reminder of the way he works....... and that's pretty relevant to the show down we can expect next week, when his plan (2 seasons in the making - yes, I still believe he identified RJ no later than early Season 5) comes full circle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAxEQYqo7no



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red herring

noun

noun: red herring; plural noun: red herrings

1.

a dried smoked herring, which is turned red by the smoke.




synonyms:


bluff,
blind,
ruse,
feint,
deception,
subterfuge,
hoax,
trick,
ploy,
device,
wile,
sham,
pretence,
artifice,
cover,
smokescreen,
distraction,
expedient,
contrivance,
machination;
More
informaldodge,
put-on,
put-up job

"it's more of a red herring than a legitimate plot
element"




2.

a clue or piece of information which is or is intended to
be misleading or distracting.


Indulge me for a few minutes please. – Speculation and a lot
of thinking out loud.


If the actor playing red John himself thought HE (the role he
played) was a red herring, that tells us a lot actually. It means the role he
played was full of stories, hints, clues, background details and the like. If
he was simply a ‘bland’ character; without background or any information surrounding
him – he couldn’t be a legitimate red herring? (i.e. CBI Ron), as there would be no
obvious questions to ask of the character. We the audience decided for example CBI Ron was ‘creepy’ and ‘always
there’. Yes, that is technically a red herring, but not enough of one to leave
us guessing, talking, questioning loopholes in his story/timelines etc.



That means he has to have been a character with ‘meat’ – a character
that left more questions than answers in terms of storyline. Logical =   Kirkland.
(Haffner also qualifies to an extent)



Kirkland is dead the people say? Yeah right – so is Thomas
Macallister, but we see him jumping through a window.

Cordero, who we now know
is a TT foot soldier, dealt with Kirklands forensic report.
I saw Smith shoot 7
times, but the report says 6 shots. Reed Smith was the biggest patsy in TT – he
thought he had killed Kirkland, but all he had done was provide RJ with his
escape plan.



Carson Springs/City is going to play a huge role in this
somewhere. (My thinking out loud starts)

Perhaps social services/protective custody is where PJ and
RJ actually FIRST met, not the carnival as most speculate.  Jane spent time there, he admitted it to
Lisben when he called the number of Child Protective services.

Tragic backgrounds, abusive fathers – Kirkland (or whatever
his name was back then and Jane). Young kids stuck in the ‘system’. Perhaps
Jane teased/fooled/scammed/taunted Kirkland (or his brother – that’s if there
IS a twin – I’m doubting that now...but there could well have been one who died
earlier in life). There could also be a sister for all we know.
Kirkland’s
stories to Lisben and Jane about ‘moving’ , growing up in ‘America’, ‘mom’s
suicide’ etc contained SOME truths, but a lot of untruths as well – part of the
game.


After their time in protective custody:

RJ moves on to Vizualise where Brett Stiles becomes the
father he never had. (But Stiles is ALSO an abusive father to an extent –
brainwashing etc)


Patrick Jane goes back to his father, leaves the carnival
and moves up the world of psychic scamming.


Years later – RJ sees PJ on television, recognises him, and
once more PJ is taunting him (as happened many years back) and its game on.

 

However – RJ, after taking Patricks family away yearns for a
true friend, someone who suffered with him and knows pain/abandonment and abuse
– Patrick. That is when he starts reaching out, yet NEVER losing his
competitive edge or his slight ‘jealousy’ of Jane.  A very symbiotic relationship.
Which is why I
believe RJ dying is going to be sad on some level, however much of a sociopath
he is.



Those who have seen the final episode make reference to the brilliant
performance by the actor who plays ‘RJ’. Now I might be biased, but amongst those
we have left as viable RJ suspects – there are only 2 who could successfully
add the necessary emotional ‘flesh’ needed to pull of the ‘RJ’ character as his
true self.

Malcolm MacDowell and Kevin Corrigan (character actors of
the highest calibre).


Its’ not MacDowell (and if it was, he wouldn’t have said he
is ‘honoured’ to become a part of pop culture – because MacDowell and his role
in ‘Clockwork Orange’ did that already – many years back)



Without repeating all my theories as to why Kirkland is RJ
(Bob/Michael – either or – or neither as Bob’s story was nothing more than one
huge red herring for Jane’s benefit); I’m sticking with Kirkland. (or whatever
his name was before he became Kirkland........the minute he says this – Jane will
know who he is – the kid he knew while they were in protective custody)
Perhaps Stiles and Haffner will still have a role to play.
MacAllister we know does – but as a RJ foot soldier still. 
Oh, and everything Jane has said since the Episode 1 of this
season, has been for the benefit of the listening device Lisben has planted on
her. RJ hasn’t missed a word of what has been discussed. Jane has known this for ages though, so 99% of what has been
revealed and said by Jane, has been purely for RJ’s benefit, and to pull him in
to Jane’s ‘end game’.

Kirkland did ask Lisben when they had coffee in series 5, if
Jane tells her ‘everything’ about RJ – and she answers honestly – YES (she can’t
lie.....). Kirkland decided right then to risk bugging her.


So the ‘I’m letting go’ whilst in the lift – that was Jane
cueing ’RJ’ for the final showdown.

 


Hoping for an EPIC Baker vs Corrigan. Jane vs RJ scene. (I’m
glad I refused to believe a senior citizen was RJ)
And if it isn’t Kirkland, I hope it’s Partridge. Simply
because after all the grief Partridge and Kirkland ‘fans’ have received  round here, I would like one of the ‘UNDEAD’
to receive the RJ glory.

 

 

 





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Not nit picking at all (because Xander Berkley would be a good RJ), but he's 59 years old in the real world.....compared to Plotnick, Corrigan etc who are 44/45?

I was 16 in 1988, and I'm 41 now. That's almost a 20 year split if they're talking 'young man at the barn' painting the face. If the sherrif is RJ (still not sure they would show pigeons in the church, his face going through the glass etc in the promo - KNOWING people would dissect every inch of that promo) - he couldn't have been the 'young man' at the barn in 1988.

Which means the young man wasn't RJ, but a witness etc?

Anyway, just thinking out loud. I would hope they resolve questions like this though - should Macallister be confirmed as RJ (still doubt it though)

 

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Forget your personal 'fave' suspects for a minute.

Open your minds.

Bob Kirkland is back. (or brother) - as theorized. That voice........

Promo confirms that everything is playing out the way the way it is supposed to.

Corrigan (possibly the finest 'character' actor in the USA) vs Baker.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

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I know we all have our own 'special pet project' suspects. I'm in Team Kirkland for example, and there are tons of Patridge fans, ditto for Haffner believers etc etc etc.

Obviously we spend more time focusing on the actions of our personal favourites in the relevant episodes. We focus obsessively on whatever 'clues' OUR personal favourites might be leaving, and we design theories and stories that convince us OUR GUY, is RJ (while often overlooking some pretty cool stuff the other suspects have to offer.....)

Example: I've obsessed (amongst my 100 other reasons that Bob is RJ on my previous theories) about:

Kirkland having a goatee in some episodes and other times not - ditto for the tie. (even going so far as to find a screenwriting reference to 'the goatee theory' - which is apparently common if one wants to differentiate between identical twins in tv/movies - wiki says so)

When Lisbon asks Kirkland where he grew up, he says starts to say WE, then corrects himself and says 'I grew up in America'.

RJ seems to have a thing for twins.

'He is Mar'. I reckon the Mexican prossie wrote that - she was facing the wall. It means, 'He is MANY' - meaning, 'He is 2 people'. English not her language, she sees two men with the same face (the twins) killing her and Renfrew. She might not know what a 'twin' is in English, and '2' didn't make sense to her - so, "He is many".

Kirkland telling Smith when asked what his story was with Jane - "It's a lonngggggggggggggg story".

The one time Kirkland really smiles in all his appearances is when he says, 'But I know you....' to Jane - a genuine smile.

So my question to everyone else is: If RJ turns out to be someone other than your 'fave' will you go back and watch previous seasons and episodes to see what you missed/looked over/ignored/though were red herrings etc?

I know I am going to. If it turns out to be Haffner for example, I will be freeze framing on every scene going way back.

afterthought: When Lorelei said she wondered why they didn't become 'lifelong' best friends when they shook hands - did anyone else get the feeling that what she was sayin was in fact: Jane and John met when they were MUCH younger - teenagers possibly? The term 'lifelong' is usually 'cradle to grave' in nature.
The only friends of mine that I call 'lifelong' are those I have been friends with since school days. Very strange she used the term, 'lifelong'. She could have just said, 'good friends' or 'best friends' NOT 'lifelong best friends'.
So I checked the ages of all the actors = because if this is true, MacAllister and Stiles are gone, because I'm sure PJ is the same age or VERY similar in age to RJ.

I'm certain we're going back to the carnival next week.....teenage/late teen years.
And we will see PJ and RJ shake hands as kids/youngsters.

Thanks for reading - sorry it's a little long.


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Theory #11438 • By BOBKIRKLANDISALIVE
Show this theory

Take a look at Kevin Corrigan's Twitter profile photo.

Most importantly look closely at the colour of his hair. Front.

If that isn't Red John, then there is no justice in this world.



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Just to add one more important observation to my theory 11376

RJ's victims have mostly been women (when he started killing) - in other words, when he was younger. At this stage he was possibly still unable to control the urges guiding him (until he started channeling his 'tendencies' - possibly after spending time with Mr Stiles: into far greater things than simply killing - a criminal empire)

When women are victims of serials (his earlier victims) one usually pulls up a mommy issue. Kirkland has serious mommy issues.

Mother killed herself to escape a brutal marriage, leaving the twins behind to take all the cruelty and pain alone. In Bob's mind his mother abandoned them, leaving them to take a world of emotional and physical hurt from a sadistic father.

'I won't leave you'....said rather sarcastically as Lennon is dying.

Could this not be the ideal kick off for a young RJ? Those smiley faces have always come across as 'child like'. A crying child's face trying to cover the tears with a 'fake smile' - exactly how a young person would feel after a mom's suicide, 'perceived abandonment' to a life of pain with an almost satanic father.

So mom's suicide is Bob's emotional trigger. (How did she kill herself? Perhaps she slashed her wrists with a linoleum floor cutter - which would finally explain to me why RJ uses such a weapon.....it's a household item from a father's garage type of weapon IMHO)

RJ is born.
Finds his way to visualize
Starts killing women (and others), and signing his scenes with the 'child's crying/smiling face'.
Brett Stiles sees huge potential - but needs Bob to channel that sociopathic potential in a way that is bigger, better. Eventually TT is born.

Maybe?

Anyway, Kirkland is also the only suspect who has given us the 'mommy suicide' story - what a trigger for the dawn of RJ.



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