Would be outstanding (work of true genius) if they filmed a final episode for every suspect to turn out as RJ...

How Red John was born..

Once upon a time, there lived a young man named Thomas. He watched his favourite TV show intently for six seasons, gathering clues on the identity of the main protagonist (serial killer). He sat down to watch the episode where the killer would be revealed, he was ever so excited, he had been waiting for this moment for six years. To his utter shock and demise the serial killer who had been invincible for 10 years, was taken down by a flock of pigeons. Thomas was mad, real mad. He promised to himself, that he would grow up to become the sheriff of a small town and take out his vengeance on women (writer of the show he loved as a kid was a woman). Thomas only had one weakness,  pigeons, the creatures that killed his childhood dreams. Whenever he saw a pigeon from that point onward, he would crawl into the the foetal position and tremble with fear. 

I dont see why Heller would purposely leak, or allow to be leaked, a real episode. It makes no sense. Also, if it were a real leak, wouldn't there have been a public explanation by now. Furthermore, i find it unlikely anyone would leak a real episode,especially out of a partner site, as this could endure substantial lawsuits and so on. It, therefore, only makes sense that it is a fake episode. I also find this likely as only a few scenes mentioned Mcallister as red john. You'll notice that only scenes in the church and after, with PJ, mcallister and his henchguy, is him as RJ mentioned and, at no point, is he mentioned in a scene with FBI, lisbon or anyone else at all. This means they only had to film a few extra scenes for this fake episode before they release the real on.

PLEEEEAAASSSEEE say i'm right!!!!!!!

Hopefully, this theory helps to put faith back into those who think that the "leaked" episode is the real deal.

First of all, think of it like this:
Is it just a coincidence that the only episode of The Mentalist that was ever "leaked" before its release is the biggest and most pivotal episode of the whole series? 
Also, when the creator and executive producer of the show both writes and directs this episode, why would it be the worst written and directed episode of the whole series? (Reminder: he's the guy that wrote some of the best episodes of the series, like Strawberries & Cream pt. 2, Red Sky in the Morning, Scarlet Ribbons, and every other season finale + premiere)

Another thing, someone else on this website (forgot the theory number) did some digging and found out that the production code for the beginning of the "leaked" episode is 4x5608, which is the right production code for the episode "Red John", but the production code from the end of the episode is something totally different, 3x8709 or something like that.
Coincidence? I doubt it. 

Also, the events of the "leaked" episode don't even have a hint of what Bruno Heller and Simon Baker said they would in interviews.

EW: "Obviously, you started off the season big by killing off one of the suspects right away. Tell me about the decision to kill Partridge first." 
Heller: "It wasn’t my decision; it was Red John’s decision. And it’s part of a much larger, dastardly plan that will reveal itself over the next few episodes. This is a good question. This is the first time I’ve been asked this question, but it’s a very good point. Why DID he kill Partridge? What possible reason could he have for that? A very good reason will be revealed down the line. So it’s both a fun way to start the season and embedded in that scene is a big clue to the identity of Red John that will pay off big time later."
EW: "For you, as a writer, was it ever going to be anyone else first?" 
Heller: "No. Because like I say, as convoluted and as elaborate as the plotting might appear, you have to know exactly what you’re doing way before you do it. So things might seem mysterious or too complicated to work out what the hell is going on, but as these episodes unfold, the story will unfold itself in a clean and clear fashion. It was very important that Partridge die at this point in the story. It’s not just — he didn’t just kill him as an act-out."
Hmmm.... don't think that was explained. We weren't ever told why it was important that Partridge died at that point in the story. You could argue that we were told why he had to die, which is true to a degree, but there was no explanation as to why he had to die at exactly that time. 
Also, we were never told what the important clue in the sequence with Lisbon searching 5570 West Huron was. Some of you are now probably thinking "well simple, it's the pigeons." But how would it be the pigeons if McAllister is Red John? If RJ is McAllister, then how did he even manage to get through the room with the pigeons to get to the room with Partridge? He's deathly afraid of birds, so it doesn't make sense that he would struggle through a room full of birds multiple times to torture/kill Partridge and knock out/paint on Lisbon. 


This is probably the most damning evidence that the "leaked" episode is a fake. 

I can't find the direct quotes from the TV Guide article with Simon Baker, but I'll just summarize it. Simon Baker talks about how the whole final conflict between Patrick and RJ is a really intimate scene, because of the nature of the events. Simon says that Red John desperately wants a relationship with Patrick, to the point where he openly exposes himself to Patrick in hopes of his friendship. 
Did it really seem like McAllister was exposing himself to befriend Patrick? 
No.
He popped out of nowhere so he could kill Patrick and frame Red John as Bertram.
That's not an attempt at friendship.

Concrete proof that the writers either A: made a fake ending to the episode, or B: have the intelligence level of a goldfish:

Red John: "If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's cheap imitations of my work."

First of all, if McAllister is Red John, why the hell did he let his minion kill Bertram, the guy that was pretending to be Red John? RJ is a stark narcissist, he wouldn't let a minion of his kill one of his copycats. 
And secondly, if RJ is this crazy narcissist that can't tolerate cheap imitations of his work, then why is he going to frame someone as himself and not take credit for his work? He's proud of his work, to the point where he'll kill anybody that tries to copy it. Oh, also, in a screenshot of the "leaked" episode where McAllister is walking down the aisle at the church, Bertram is dead on the ground in the bottom left, but in a screenshot of the same shot in the promo, Bertram isn't there at all.

Now, a list of all the things that are wrong with the "leaked" episode that indicate it's a fake:
1. Bertram and Cordero in the gas station, that scene was so ridiculously stupid. Really, you're gonna have a wanted fugitive walk into a gas station, kill the gas station attendant, take a sip of Gatorade, grab a bag of chips, and leave? What?
2. Rigsby, just minutes after being arrested for not telling the FBI where Patrick is going to meet Bertram, decides to randomly tell the FBI where he's going. Why? What the hell is that for?
3. "Get me a paper map."
4. Grace banging her head on the car window
5. Bertram when he gets shot: "HEEEEEYYYYY"
6. Red John, the extremely intelligent, impossible to catch, super persuasive, badass serial killer that's brutally murdered well over 30 people in the course of about 20 years, finally meets his demise. Why, you ask? BECAUSE OF A GOD DAMN PIGEON.
7. Also, Red John with all of his wide range of connections and people that are devoted to him, decides to call 911 when he's in danger. Really? "911, what's your emergency?" "Hey it's the serial killer Red John, I'm sure you've heard of me, I need some help because some crazy guy is trying to kill me."
8. McAllister contorts his neck to say one freaking sentence in the supposed RJ voice, which doesn't even really sound like the other three instances we've heard his voice.
9. Red John has all these connections and devotees that would give their life for him. Who does he bring as backup when he goes to meet/kill his nemesis? Some 4 foot tall woman with a 2 inch knife. WHAT THE HELL?
10. Cordero found a gun that was stuffed in Patrick's back pocket, but not the pigeon that he had hidden away magically in his jacket.
11. Patrick was sleeping at the CBI in the beginning... after the FBI had already cleared the building out. What?

Also, why would CBS let iTunes put the leaked episode up in France before it even airs?

Anyways, we've got about 8 hours until we see the real episode. 

Trust me, Heller didn't magically forget how to write.

If he somehow did let only the most important episode in the history of the show be the only one that's ever leaked, and he really did give us clear shots of who Red John is through the promo, then I'm Britney Spears. 

See you all on the other side.

If this is the real episode, ( and remember that I said IF) it make the Lost finale look like a 8 time winning Oscar movie, I just hope that when I wake up tomorrow, ( I'm in Europa) I will find out that the past 4 days have been a nightmare, and that the Red John episode will be the mindblowing experience we deserve :)

Regardless on Who RJ is, just please have a better storyline-dialouge-and acting !

something that is bothering me is, why now? why, in the eight episode, would he reveal red john. and so lightly and rushed? we have like 15 episodes til season finale. whats gonna happen? i cant really see it being just jane coping with killing RJ and going on with his life, no one will watch that. and for the season finale, what will it be? its puzzeling.