Upvote, downvote, whatever, this isn't a theory but nowhere else to put it. Anjin posting.
Apologize for the rant which follows:
The series is veering a bit too close to absurdity for me,
not only because the most logical (to me) suspects are now off the list of
possibilities, but because Red John now has mental acumen more advanced than anyone
could reasonably imagine. He’s become super-villain. Forget the fact that RJ
somehow picked a memory out of Jane’s head and “murdered” it, though that
certainly chafes reason (though it is, yes, an original twist, or at least I’ve
never seen it before). I suppose this
could be explained somehow by Jane letting the memory slip during counseling,
hypnosis during his year-long sanitarium visit, or something similar. At least there’s that possibility, albeit
remote, or maybe one or two other explanations which would not go off the wires
into mind-reading. (And I’d argue the
ethos of the show, regardless of what Heller has stated, is very much
anti-quackery rather than on the metaphorical/ metaphysical fence.)
No, what really pisses me off is that Red John has made up
the list of Jane’s for him—that the list was exactly what Jane had in his mind.
How is this even supposed to be remotely possible? Lorelei was dead before
Kirkland stormed Jane’s office (and this is assuming Kirkland is RJ or is
feeding him information). So then
logically the video file had to have been made prior to any knowledge of Jane’s
bulletin board contents (which of course we have to assume were at least
partially doctored by Jane as a ruse.)
So where, then, does this leave us? Hidden cameras? Or Red
John just knows Jane so well he knows all the people on the planet that Jane
has remembered that he met in the last 10 or so years? And then, after divining
these names, RJ has the mental acuity to narrow that (gargantuan) list down to
seven names? Come on. It strains
credulity that Jane can do it with his OWN memory, but that Red John can do it
over the airwaves, as is were, is bullshit. Unless Jane IS Red John, which we
know now definitively he is not. Unless Heller is purposefully deceiving us. But
that way madness lies.
If anyone has a reasoned explanation as to RJ’s ability here
that doesn’t touch on “powers” please reply and let me have it.
I won’t even mention the in-plot idiocy of letting the Red
John associate into a car without a bodyguard to keep her from, say, killing
herself with a pill. Defies sense. In fact that seemed like an afterthought
scene, as if it had been filmed later—you never saw Jane or Lisbon make mention
of her death at all. Yet she was, here, suddenly, someone who knew Red John!
Just like Rebecca, Jared, Lorelei. Why would Jane even let her out of his
sight??
Rant over. Now in terms of speculation.
The list has been put out there and there are already all
sorts of really good theories coming out of it. I would like to think that once
we all have the time to go back and watch all the episodes in which these
people have appeared (and any other episodes with references to these, by the
same writers, etc.) we will have a better mass of material to work with.
I’m going to start out with the premise that we have to take
Heller at his word on the list. (see: http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/05/06/mentalist-finale-season-6-red-john-list/) Red John is one of those suspects. Red John
is not Jane. The list is not a ruse.
There are no anagrams in the list. There is no one named Brett
Haffner-Stiles-Partridge who we haven’t seen yet but whose name is still there
just by chance. No, at least one of
these guys is Red John. Maybe more than
one. Yes. Maybe more than one. And I think we’ll know
who it is probably as soon as the first half of the next season, maybe in the
first few episodes. The rest will be some kind of pursuit when that character
falls off the grid.
The sheriff? He was in season one. Everyone, I expect, has
forgotten about him. He’s a good actor, loved him in the series 24. Have seen him as a character actor
in a lot of stuff I can’t recall. One of those faces. Reliable. Much like the
guy who played Timothy Carter whom I feel the same way about. But I doubt this
sheriff is Red John just because he’s so remote in my memory. Was he a dubious
character? Yes. He also got beaten by Jane in paper/rock/scissors repeatedly in
one of the best opening sequences of the series. Doubt it’s him.
Reede Whatsit. FBI guy. Why him? He’s a dolt, an emotionally
reactive FBI suit, not particularly memorable. Don’t know why he’s even on the
list. Is there any evidence that it could possibly be him besides Jane saying
he’s on the list? Remember when he and
Cho went at it? It’d be great if it were him just to see Cho knock him on the
hood of a car again.
That’s two suspects dismissed.
The only person on the list who is currently seriously
suspicious is Kirkland, who has murdered in cold blood and lied about it
(Lennon, in the hospital). He has expressed great interest in Jane and his
search for Red John, he was ret-conned conveniently into the series here in
season 5, as if he “had always been around.” He has contacts, is in a position
of power in his job as Homeland Security agent, has agents under him who do his
bidding seemingly without the need to report to anyone else (evidenced by their
shrugging off when he says he’ll “take care of it” once they supply him with
the photos of Jane’s office.) He fits the physical profile given by Harker. He
has a soft voice. He seems interested in approaching Lisbon at an angle to get
at Jane. He has physically shaken hands with Jane. He was very interested in
Lorelei Martins’ capture. He states (as was pointed out on this site) that he
“grew up in America” suggesting he moved a lot, suggesting a possible
connection to carnivals (though really this is unlikely).
But. He is hardly charming. He can barely hold a normal
conversation with Lisbon. He shook hands with Jane, as many people have
noticed, while Lorelei was in jail. He doesn’t seem to have any connection with
Visualize (though he may, later.) Is this just poor continuity/scripting? Or is
this some kind of clue? If Kirkland is Red John no one should be surprised, but
in the same way no one should be surprised if it turns out Lisbon is in love
with Jane. It’s so obvious it’s too obvious. Surely we can expect a bit more
subtlety regarding the central mystery of the series? If it’s Kirkland, let’s
just know already and make chase.
Kirkland is also in league with Bertram. So there’s a
Bertram/Kirkland connection.
Haffner: He’s Visualize. He fits the profile of Harker. He
is a cop who tried to infiltrate the CBI but failed. I’ve mentioned my
disagreement with the possibility that he’s Red John in other places, but he
has admitted to being a Visualize member, which puts him and Stiles in the same
boat. While Haffner may not know everything about Stiles, Stiles definitely knows
everything about Haffner.
Red John has a Visualize connection. Meaning Stiles is
involved at least peripherally. If the series went into season 7 or 8, I could
see pursuit of Visualize as a further plot device. I wonder how that would sit
in LA, heartland of Scientology.
That leaves Partridge. But all the reasons against Partridge are seeming feeble--basically we need to know more about the guy.
