Who is Red John?

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List of seven

Thomas McAllister
Thomas McAllister Reede Smith
Reede Smith Ray Haffner
Ray Haffner Gale Bertram
Gale Bertram Brett Partridge
Brett Partridge Bret Stiles
Bret Stiles Bob Kirkland
Bob Kirkland

LATEST THEORIES

Tyger, Tyger,

I am sure ya'll read the poem?  I stated in an older theory that Partridge was a pawn and it was confirmed on the first episode.  I believe RJ had Partridge record the message Jane received prior to sacrificing him.  Due to the fact that the message was not a message that returned any answers jane asked about, it just stated a message.  So I believe Partridge was in fact a disciple of RJ and maybe CBI Ron is too, since I saw the picture of him on the phone when Patrick got the call. 
Anyway, to the tyger tyger poem, I believe that the meaning behind it is what I have stated before that Bret Stiles is Bob Kirklands father and Kirkland is responsible for the killings and is the true Red John.  The poem insinuates that the tiger is a resourceful beast and very dangerous along with a passion for killing. how the tiger is so beautiful of a creature can be so deadly (symmetry).  The poem goes on to say "In what distant deeps of skies, burnt the fire of thine eyes?"  (What made him like this?)  "And what shoulder, and what art, could twist the sinews of thy heart?" (I believe it is saying what life changing occurrence led you to these acts of heartless crimes)  The next verse I am surmising is based on creativity and creativity back in 1794 when Blake wrote this poem, there wasn't much outside of a Blacksmith. So it goes on to say "What the hammer? what the chain? in what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp, dare its deadly terrors clasp?"  (Think of creating a sword, a Blacksmith would hammer it and furnace it and shine it up bright, yet what he just created was not only a work of beauty but a tool of death, again symmetry)  It is a metaphor.
ok, the last part which brings me to my idea of the father and the son theory is..."When the stars threw down their spears and watered heaven with their tears, did he smile his work to see? Did who made the Lamb make thee?"  (ok I know Im getting deep here but once the beast is unleashed and the damage done, did the father smile at what was created?  I believe blake was referring to when God made man and the Lamb, Jesus.  (the sacrificial lamb)  "Did who made the Lamb make thee?"  I think the question here is, is the beast a direct result of the fathers personality, is Stiles responsible for the way Kirkland (RJ) is. Did Stiles somehow kill Kirklands mother? Or was Kirkland made to do Stiles bidding?  The lamb being the innocence of a child who turned into the tiger, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  We have seen the people associated with RJ take their own lives, that is some heavy shit!  Who other than Stiles could do that??  I know what your gonna say, Patrick could.  I guess but for what purpose?  Lets just say his wife was going to leave him and he killed her like some other theories ponder, and he made up the whole RJ thing.  So why keep going?  He got away with it.  I think the problem with RJ became an issue when Patrick started to gain momentum and it is a pride thing with RJ, a game so to speak.  Who is better at this game?  Anyway, I will get back to work now and continue to believe my theory.  I hope you enjoyed my twisted mind for a while.  thanks.  I enjoy reading all your theories too.

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The original Red John was Partridge, of course; after season II, Bruno Heller abandoned that idea and there has been no John for quite a while (probably all the way to season V), until he finally found his candidate - someone more powerful and interesting than little old Brett was.
As to who the new John is, well... either McAllister (just because that choice would be among those unexpected), or (logically) Gale Bertram.
Note that when the seven supposed suspects were only shown in silhouettes, one - and only one - was portrayed with a prominently *blue* background. Well, consider that blue and red are the ends of the same spectrum...
(Amusingly enough, Bertram has recently said - openly - "I am MANY..." in an episode. ;)
By the way, you can vote for essentially any Red John candidate here: http://poll.pollcode.com/76818_result?v

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Theory #4982 • By dasgdfhj
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My money is on Sheriff Thomas McAllister. I agree with the theory before.

Maybe McAllister and Kristina Fry are working together. I have the feeling "seeing red"-head Kristina again will come very soon. :o))) 


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Brett Partridge saying, "tyger, tyger" at the end of season 6 episode 1 proves that he is follower of RJ because it is the exact same thing Todd Johnson said before he died

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i think Ray Haffner is Red Jooohn. He fits all descriptions of RJ. Also he worked in the farm which a murder was happened by RJ and he is a member of Visualize. I can tell these according to informations that we learned from episodes.

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Please forgive my digression, but this is a comment on S6E1 in general rather than a RJ theory.  S6E1 was exciting, but I was disappointed that some of the episode didn't hold together very well.

Cody Benbow - Why would he take J hostage and walk him out into a group of at least 6 armed law-enforcement officers?  Exciting, but it would have made a lot more sense for him to have left J in the house, tied and gagged, while trying to casually escape alone.  Illogical.

Lisbon as manager - Okay, L and J have widely differing ideas on how to proceed.  But as an experienced manager, she shouldn't just circumvent J as soon as he doesn't have an instant plan to deal with RJ's knowledge of the list.  J repeatedly asked for time to think, but is instead required to solve two ordinary cases.  Poor management decision.

Lisbon as leader - After 9+ years of working with J, everyone on the team realizes J brings unequaled insight to the cases.  J has the deepest knowledge of the RJ case.  Why wouldn't she try to talk - in depth! - with J as to his reasons for refusing to involve the team and about her ideas on how to proceed?  Wouldn't it make more sense to try to get as much information about J's thinking on all aspects before proceeding on a different track?  L always has the official authority to direct her team members (e.g., Van Pelt bugging phones).  L doesn't need to circumvent J to go ahead with what L considers best.  L looks weak and incompetent as a leader by being unwilling to argue up front with J before doing what she considers best anyhow.

Lisbon with experience on RJ case - After years of being thwarted by RJ, L should be convinced ordinary investigative procedures won't work.  RJ has repeatedly violated the supposedly secure CBI computer system and has extensive knowledge about her team's activities.  And yet L a) phones Van Pelt at her desk in CBI to discuss secret information and b) believes bugging the suspects' phones will be undetected and effective!  This is pretty thin.  It makes L look like she's acting out of fear or desperation--inconsistent with the character.

L as experienced law enforcement professional - After J's explicit warning that RJ would use the bugged phones to lead L's team to wherever RJ wanted, the same day L responds to an anonymous request for help directed to her team at an abandoned house!  Then she enters without backup.  Yes, responding to a cry for help would be the expected response of someone in law enforcement.  But this is just dumb given the RJ history, J's warning, and L's experience.

I think the writing needs to be stronger lest the characters' credibility is undermined by stuff like this.  Thanks for listening to my gripes.

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In my opinion Red John is not one person but a group of persons! They are a team!
 They all share the persona of Red John and act identically when commiting a crime. That's why it's sooo hard to find him. Probably all 7 or 6 -or whatever is the number right now- are Red John. 

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