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

Hi,

how come nobody has ever thought about it:

Why would the creators of the show name TWO important characters with the same first name (save one 't'). I mean of course, Bret and Brett.

These things could never happen without a good reason, especially that both characters appeared in the first two seasons and remained important enough to end up on the Red John list eventually.

We kinda know that Bret Stiles knows much more about Red John than he tells, and with the link to the Elliston Farm he obviously has a clue on who the serial killer is. IF Brett Patridge is RJ, than he perhaps chose the name "Brett" to mirror his spiritual father's existence (RJ's following seems to be in a similar style to the whole Visualize thing, see Fire and Brimstone.) 

And of course the name "Partridge" refers to his love of William Blake (A Brace Of Partridge). His name is therefore not his real name, but an alias, just as Roy Tagliaferro is. And it is a name that says a lot, and a very important clue or hint to who he really is.

That's why Plotnick has said that Brett Patridge is over: the persona is dead, Red John remains.

Comment or whatever!

Thanks.

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First off I think this is a great site and full of the best fans around for the best show nobody has dedication like us Mentalist fans and how detailed we are with our theories.  I think we should be rewarded for our dedication after all we made the show what it is so if Bruno Heller surfs this site I think he should let all the fans who post on here and show how loyal they are to the show meet the cast after the red john reveal or do something to show his appreciation for being great fans.  If you think we should be rewarded by Heller for being super fans please mark Plausible so he can see this.  Thanks everyone is great on here.

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Theory #11345 • By Deparnieux
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Theories need explanation, for that they are theories. Just saying "Brett Partridge is Red John" doesn't make much of a theory. It does not point out why any other suspect can most definitely not be Red John, and why it has to be Brett Partridge.

I am under the impression that Red John is Ray Haffner. Partridge is a creep and a workaholic. He loved his work far too much, and the honesty with which he said "I am stoked to finally see one in the flesh" in S01E01 is a convincing argument that Partridge is not Red John. Also, try to watch back S06E01. Partridge was lying, dead as far as we knew at the time, on the floor. Lisbon got up, looked at the door and looked back. She was snatched from behind right at that moment. You did not hear a sound which would imply Partridge got up, and he couldn't have done it without making a sound in the time span that he got whilst Lisbon was looking away. Also, he couldn't have kicked her down with his own feet, since Lisbon was standing near his head (she crouched to examine his face, the close-up in which Partridge said "Tyger, Tyger" tells us as much. Also, how would that door open up itself?

In S06E02, the body of Partridge was found. There was no particulars on the body and he was dead alright. If he weren't dead, the coroner would've noticed and otherwise we would've noticed it later in the episodes if the coroner never actually received the body and Partridge is still alive, which would be implication of the situation. Brett Partridge must be dead. I refuse to accept otherwise, it possibly can't be.Partridge wouldn't be Red John. The series have continued after that episode and the goose chase to find out who Red John actually is, is still on its tracks. It would be very lame, not impossible, but lame, if Partridge turned out to be Red John and the whole scene and preparation for the scene at Jane's house were all for nothing.

Partridge is dead.

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I posted this on a theory revolving around Brett Partridge. It does not prove Ray Haffner is Red John, it just rules out one of the most prominent suspects, Brett Partridge. However, I do believe Haffner is Red John. We will see. Please do not rate this theory as a theory to prove why Haffner is Red John, but as a theory why Brett Partridge most certainly isn't.

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CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM TvGuide (newest):

" . . . but I've seen the penultimate hour of the current "Red John" arc on CBS's The Mentalist
(10/9c), which is quite eventful. With only one episode left until the
actual reveal and face-to-face showdown between the serial-killer fiend
and the vengeful Patrick Jane (Simon Baker),
it's fair to say that the list of suspects is narrowed considerably in
the wake of the explosion at Jane's house. The CBI team is in "do not
trust anyone in law enforcement" mode, as it becomes more clear just how
widespread the "Tiger Tiger" conspiracy is. There's plenty of action,
and another climactic reversal that leaves Jane and us praying for an
end to this ordeal. Unless there's another aggravating football overrun
next week to pre-empt the big reveal, we're all about to get our answer
and some much-needed closure."

So, we need to brace ourselves: things may not appear as they really are, at first!

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You're wondering why Patrick Jane's head is on the front. I am going to attempt explain who Red John is from Patrick's point of view. If I get any greens at all, that'll be some achievement.

Seeing as we're in the mind of Patrick Jane, this may be the most elaborate theory you may ever read... and I fully understand the correlation between the detail of a theory and the number of implausible's it will receive :P 


In 5 x 8, Jane discovers he's shaken hands with Red John. Not much later, Jane figures out Red John is Brett Partridge, using Rosalynd Harker's description.

But he can't just go and shoot him. Someone will try and kill him in revenge. So he needs to bring down RJ's network of friends. So he makes a list of people he thinks are associated with Red John from law-enforcement and the cult Visualise. He already knows for certain Bret Stiles and Gale Bertram have been part of his plans. Next Jane uses the prodigious talent for observation he had displayed so frequently in seasons 1-3, to the connect the others to Red John and that is how "the list" was born.

He preempts Red John's next move. Someone is going to bug him or someone close to him to find out about if he knows who he is. Patrick pretends he never heard a description from Rosalynd Harker when he makes his supposed "list". He puts the real Red John onto the list of 7, so Red John knows he's close. According to Patrick's criteria, these are 7 random men that could be at the crime scenes. Yet they are all known to the audience now to have a link to Red John. 

When Patrick tells Teresa the list in Red John's Rules, and later that night, RJ's accomplice delivers a video predicting the list, Patrick has got him. He knows Partridge has fallen for his trap and Lisbon is the person who was bugged. He gave her false signals from Red Barn onwards, saying he remembered every person he ever met. 

And in the video Red John calls it 'a feat of memory,' confirming, Lisbon is the one who was bugged. For all we know, Patrick could have made that up (although we know he can do it, it might not be necessary). He is playing an elaborate charade. In Desert Rose, Red John keeps Teresa alive because he thinks Lisbon is a valuable source of information.

Then in Desert Rose, Patrick continues to maintain a charade. Black-Winged Redbird, he ignores the woman from Visualise dressed up like Patrick, he says Red John has "acrophobia" instead of acaraphobia on purpose. He is keen to see which suspects are going to fake a fear of heights, and which of them will begin whistling in front of him or Lisbon.
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Then Patrick goes to investigate the "suspects". 

GO and rewatch "Red Lacquer Nail Polish." Jane already knows Partridge is Red John then. Then go and rewatch "Desert Rose," Jane knows Partridge is Red John. Patrick who is several steps ahead goes so far as to taunt him "You truly don't know, do you?" Partridge probably thinks Jane does that to everyone on the list.

Bertram calls himself duplicitous and calculating and he is very intent on catching Red John. This confuses Patrick. Then he sees a meeting of 3 suspects. When they don't respond to his "bugged...wired" suggestion, he knows they don't know who Red John is.

Sherriff McAllister saves his life after feigning a fear of heights. Patrick says to him "One of my many flaws is that I sometimes give mixed signals."

Bertram repeatedly reminds Patrick he wants to catch Red John.

When Reede Smith says its going to be "Jurisdictional clusterbomb," and says "No hard feelings to Jane," Jane begins to suspect everyone in the meeting was an undercover agent who work for Homeland Agent, Bob Kirkland, who is hunting Red John just like him.

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One day, Partridge is getting a bit bored. He knows he controls all the suspects, so he decides to play a little game with Patrick. What Partridge doesn't know is that he's once again falling into Jane's hands. Partridge thinks: "I'll give him a clue, I'll show him the Tyger Tyger tattoo. He'll go round shooting them all ahahaha, it will be like Timothy Carter 2.0. Man I'm such a genius. *talking to his pigeons*"

Once Patrick sees the tattoo, he goes and tells Lisbon straight away. Patrick, who guards intel on RJ so closely, just goes and makes a show in front of her. So Red John hears of course. He knows 3 of the suspects, who have the tattoo, will be good. But what he desperately needs is for Stiles and Haffner to attend. Stiles is the source of RJ's accomplices.

Well, next episode, Haffner and Stiles are both taken care off. And McAllister too. Whether they're dead or kidnapped it doesn't matter. STILES is out of the way. Reede Smith and Gale Bertram are on the run, and Patrick isn't terribly harmed. It's basically impossible for me to predict what happens next... but what Patrick would want is for Tyger Tyger to be completely exposed. The Visualise link is dead. Bret Stiles and Haffner are taken care of. So, I expect the next phase would be Red John's Tyger Tyger link.

Then Patrick can go and kill Red John in the park, once he has truly destroyed him in this final game of mental chess. Patrick was many steps ahead for a long, long time. The risk of revenge is so much is smaller now Visualise and Tyger Tyger have loose links to Red John.

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I really like the "mental" theories on this website..I honestly have no idea how people can come up with some stuff in such detail and how enthusiastic they are..

My head is so full of the 7 suspects that it's quite refreshing to sometimes read theories where someone accuses Luther Wainwright ("the little boy" -dead) or Ellis Mars or Dr Steiner (dead)..:D

What are we going to do when Red John is gone?? It's so much fun to guess! :)

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Brett partridge is DEAD! I read people say ot obvious hes rj obvious hes alive !? Really? I thought people were joking around about the partridge but apparently people are serious. He literally died for all of us to see . Not dead when people showed up he died right in front of lisbon. So what there is pidgeons everywhere !!!! His name is pauly pidgeon!!!! There is no pear trees anywhere !!!! Hit unlikely i dont care you act like your using "logic" . This show isnt logical plus he died and its not logical think otherwise . I know people have there opinions but please stop with this one .

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