Hey guys, I know a lot of you have already
noticed the suspect I chose and are already clicking the
"unlikely" button, but I do not want to repeat the things so many
theories about Partridge on this website have already discussed. I don't want
to talk about how he faked his death or how he fits Rosalind's description and
Red John's voice. Been there, done that. Instead, I want to talk about his
character development and how I came to the conclusion that he is Red John.
Stay with me, this is going to be long..
In the very first episode when Partridge first appears, he has a small crowd
gathered around him as he vividly tells about and reenacts the fake Red John
murder. Despite his "creepy" and "nerdy" personality (which
some might perceive as weak) he successfully holds the attention of Lisbon and
her team while he talks. Jane is the only one who seems disinterested.
Partridge liked the attention and didn't seem at all uncomfortable with it. We
must also remember that, though Partridge could come across as weak and perhaps
inferior, he is a forensics investigator, and obviously a darn good one. To
hold the position that he does, he must be extremely intelligent and
meticulous. He must also be well-spoken, convincing, and able to testify
in court. Forensics investigators often work in teams, so Partridge must be
able to cooperate well with others and/or gain the trust of
others.
Jane confidently declares that this murder was
committed by an imitator, and Partridge seems to be offended. Why? Perhaps
because he wonders how Jane has Red John and his methods so "figured out”, and it is
unsettling to him. How could Jane tell the difference between the real thing
and a fake so easily? Partridge proceeds to sarcastically ridicule Jane and his
opinion. Jane, irritated, then says: "You know what your problem is, my
friend? I think you enjoy your work a little too much. You're a ghoul." He
then adds: "He irks me. He's irksome." Jane never reacts to any of
the suspects this negatively from the beginning..except for Partridge. He
instantly doesn't like him, and the same goes for Partridge. Another thing to
note is what Partridge says as he enters the room and sees the smiley face on
the wall: “There
she blows!” A
quote from Herman Melville’s
Moby Dick. Heller has often compared Jane’s pursuit of Red John to Captain Ahab chasing the
great whale Moby Dick.
Season 2 finale, Partridge appears again at the scene of a fake Red John
murder. He continues his antagonistic treatment of Jane, making fun of his
"psychic" method of examining things. When Partridge again denies
that this is a fake Red John murder and insists that it really was Red John,
Jane angrily insists that he is right, then turning and walking out of the
room. Partridge is very irritated, muttering “Jerk..” as Jane leaves. Jane suddenly returns as Partridge
starts to leave the room, and he jumps backward, startled. Did he think Jane
was going to attack him? That thought would be likely to enter the mind of a
serial killer. Jane then tells Partridge not to forget to turn the papers in to
the CBI office, and Partridge says quietly “Will do” in an obvious attempt to maintain his composure. He
clearly loathes deferring to Jane’s authority.
Partridge does not appear again until Season 5. At the
scene of the crime, he claims that it was an accident, while Jane claims that
it was murder. Partridge always says the opposite of Jane. He never agrees.
Partridge makes a reference to a Charles Dickens book, which is interesting,
considering the significant role classic literature plays in The Mentalist. At
one point in the show, Jane can also be seen reading one of Dicken’s novels. Jane,
again frustrated with Partridge’s delight in relating the grotesque details, leaves
and calls Partridge a “ghoul” a second time.
Partridge smiles and looks over at Cho, but the smile quickly goes away when
Cho walks off. Perhaps this comes from Partridge’s desire to be liked, to have someone on
his side. Just like Red John has many disciples. He likes to have followers.
Partridge appears again in the Season 5 finale at the
scene of a murder, and this time he is more reserved and does not really
challenge Jane. Perhaps because Jane is getting closer to Red John, and
Partridge wants to appear less suspicious? Partridge still claims the opposite
of Jane, saying that it was a fake, when it was actually Red John. The
conversation goes something like this: “You’re sure this was Red John, are you, Mr. Partridge?” “Um, yeah.” “You’re absolutely sure?” “No, I mean, I’m surmising.” Partridge backs
down more quickly and reluctantly agrees to leave when Jane ushers him and his
colleague away from the crime scene. However, before Jane entered the room,
Partridge says this: “I’ve worked Red John’s murder scenes
since he began.”
Then how come in the season 1 pilot, he says this: “Classic Red John
smiley face…I’m stoked to finally
see one in the flesh.”
This is a contradiction. If he had always been working Red John murders, he
would have seen the smiley face several times before, but in front of Lisbon’s team, he pretends
to be new to the scene. Interesting. Also in season 5: “He killed just
recently didn’t
he?” “No, that was an
internal issue. Lorelei Martins was one of his own people, it doesn’t count.” Really Mr.
Partridge? So just because she’s a Red John disciple it doesn’t count as murder?
In the Season 6 premiere, Partridge is even more
reserved, playing the victim when Jane stares him down. The conversation goes
like this: “Is
something wrong?” “Wrong?” “You’ve been really
sullen with me recently and now you’re staring at me strangely, and I don’t know why.” Now..why would
Partridge say this? He and Jane have ALWAYS been sullen with each other. They
have never been friends, so why would Partridge only say this now, as if he
didn’t
already know that Jane doesn’t like him. Jane says: “You truly don’t know?” and Partridge
looks him directly in the eye and says “No.” Clearly he is lying. Later Jane says that if
Partridge is Red John, he would “have to be a very good actor.” Exactly, Red John
is a good actor.
Now, there is something else I would like for you to
see.
This is what Jack Plotnick (Brett Partridge) said in a recent interview
about his character:
Let’s say you turn out to be Red John,
is there something about your character that you would’ve liked to incorporate
from the get go, or are you fine with not having known the whole time?
Jack Plotnick: Well, I played it like
I was Red John from the beginning.
Is there a difference in how you
approach Brett Partridge now as compared to the beginning?
Jack Plotnick: No. I always
approached it like Red John because that seemed appropriate.
What can you tease beyond the premiere
for your character this season?
Jack Plotnick: I’ve been very busy
and we all worked really hard to make this season awesome and exciting, and I
can’t wait for the audience to see it. I can’t really say anything past that.
Also, one last thing. This is from a recent interview with Bruno Heller. He is talking about Partridge's death:
For you, as a writer, was it
ever going to be someone else first?
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 heck 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.
So there you go guys, I think this theory is quite long enough..so I'll stop now:)
