Red John is probably yet to appear on screen, but he has many people working for him (willingly and unwillingly) and therefore we feel like we have seen him. All the clues are there for a reason.
Would't it be horribly scary if many of the side-characters we have met were infact working for Red John (like a godfather operation) and little by little, Jane finds himself surrounded by Red John accomplices - and has been for a long time? Yikes!!
The writers will have a hard time explaining why Jane is so important to Red John, but this is NOT "Lost" so if any of the writers are reading this:
*****Red John CAN'T be Jane*****
It would just be wrong and not in conjunktion with the spirit of the show.
It really shouldn't be Cho, Van Pelt, Rigsby or Lisbon at all, either.
A business man who's life got destroyed by Jane from his psycic days, would be most believable and more scary due to the calculating, ice cold. Maybe Van Pelts father, that's a good idea - IF Van Pelt is unaware (or at least don't want to admitt to herself) of it.
In my world, Red John hasn't killed one victim himself.
He lets other people do it for him.
That's why Jane has to kill him - because there is NO way the murders can be connected to Red John legally.
It would be exiting and refreshing to see some seasons ahead, after the big confrontation, where Jane becomes a happier person. Many shows does reveal the big thing (early) and gets away with it. Just change the direction, keep the people.
No reason why the Mentalist shouldn't be able to have a life after we find out who Red John is.
:)
