"Happy memory" thing is easy to explain in mentalism way. (Almost) everyone has that friend from the past which reminds of some "good old days". In this case it's childhood. Red John has Patrick very well researched, so finding such person wasn't a problem. It's plausible (like everything in the show) and you don't need any mind reading skills to do that.

My theory (or should I say hopes) about Red John is that he's Brett.  Everything else would be disappointing, because I don't think that Heller and producers can come with something that will suprising and... good. I hate that Red John evolved from normal serial killer to some Moriarty style villain with hundreds of accomplices who are ready to die for him without any hesitation, and I'm afraid that ending could be so twisted that it will be just overdone (i.e. "Lost", clearly writers just didn't know how to end the show and resolve that tons of mysteries!).

And one funny thing about season finale - why the heck they transport such a valuable convict like that woman from social services who was RJ puppet in such ordinary way? If they knew how important this person is and about suicidal tendencies of RJ friends (and they clearly did know!), they would never let her be transported only with one cop and without any protection from commiting suicide. "Mentalist" has often problems depicting CBI and police work...in real life there's no way that they would let so many witnesses so easily die. There's offcourse more lapses such as how it's possible they didn't pursue the plane from "Red John's Footsteps" (I think they could easily get to this plane and the pilot) or didn't have RJ on tape when he come into CBI offices or around the building (in one episode there was a footage he did from his car - at least they should try to find that car)? There are no cameras around (he was also in a shop stalking Darcy)?

I think every one one this list works for red john apart from Brett partridge who is RJ. I Think there was many clues in the 2nd season such as the William Blake clue and the mystery forensics guy. I also think Kirkland is too obvious and 2 or 3 off the lists haven't been in the show enough to RJ such as the Sheriff       

i think red john is a woman, in 2x23 when rj meet pj if you look at the top of red john's head (there is a Bulge) why ??? because he is a woman , woman lift their hair up when they wear a hat , or a helmet , or a cloak , and his voice is similar to Margo Ketchum , played by thleen Wilhoite , she is in the same episode 2x23

New theory, just briefly and open to discussion. I'm not going to go into details about the accomplices of RJ but I have a simple yet pretty much possible theory.

I think there are 2 RJs here. If Heller is solid about his statement that one of those 7 guys is really RJ, then here's my theory:

After PJ left his father, Alex was so frustrated and his grudge led him to train another wonder boy in order to seek a remote vengeance against Patrick. He trained and brainwashed him so well and equipped him with deepest elements of mentalism and hypnosis but as Patrick has a natural talent in this field, the new bot could not be left alone. Therefore, the new boy was going to take care of operational stuff, and the complex brain behind the whole scenario would be Alex Jane himself as a mentor and analyst.

Of course, this plan and the new boy was needed to be tested before taking place in real action. This was the reason of killings earlier than PJ's family. To see if they can manage not to be caught or traced. And this boy was already originally into mental enhancement, so he was a disciple in Visualize at an early age (Red Barn) but only after he was recruited by Alex Jane (who's also a close friend of Bret Stiles that time) from Visualize and equipped with the doctrine of being Red John, only then he drew that smily face on the barn in order to seal the idea that the Barn is the place where it all began.

I also think that the TV show manager is also involved in RJ's plan because they needed a reason to kill Jane's family and to do that, the simplest thing to do was to make him insult Red John publicly. Only then the trial period of RJ has ended ad it started to serve its real purpose. Making Jane's life a nightmare.

Wondering what the name of that boy is? Brett Partridge of course. But he's the operational part. The master behind him (2nd Red John) is Alex Jane. Pretty fantastic I admit... But still very much possible. And this way you can both make Partridge fans and the rest of the people happy about the story.  

Hi there, I agree with Brett Partridge as RJ for the reasons already given by others.

One note about the season finale, about Jane's one happy thought and as to how RJ knew it and that Lisbon could somehow be involved?
When Jane spent the night with Lorelei I remember his sound sleeping right through until the next day and wonder whether Lorelei and RJ drugged him and got as much information as they could out of him. His sleep did not seem natural. I think this may explain how RJ knew his happy thought. The question is what else they got out of him. At the time Jane thought he was playing Lorelei and RJ but maybe it was the other way around?

Anyway, just a thought.

I have just re watched season 5 finale and seen some interesting clues, firstly Lisbon is an accomplice of RJ, if you re watch the episode its Jane that feeds Lisbon all the clues about the happy memory, at 16:47 he is telling Lisbon about the memory, I think this is a fabrication from Jane to see if it gets back to him, the next seen is the both of them in the car travelling to see Pete from the carni folk and Jane asks her to stay in the car, she happily agrees, Why? I assume this gives her time to contact RJ, because earlier when they meet the carni folk Jane doesn't seem to mind her meeting them, then when they go to meet Sean Barlow he asks again to wait( I assume so it doesn't look sus that he only asks once, she refuses this time thou! I assume because she doesn't need time to contact RJ.
Also its only Lisbon who knows there are 7 names and one is Bertram, and on previous episodes its only Lisbon who actually enters his apartment, or that we see. his smile after finding out that someone has been has confirmed his suspicion of Lisbon.
also in previous episodes Jane always states that there is no such thing as a coincidence yet in the final episode he agrees twice with Lisbon that it probably was a coincidence.

Lisbon hurt her hand and Jane is not at all curious, he only asks once, and doesn't pursue it. I think he doesn't want to rattle her.

Also in a Bruno Heller interview he said Loreli will be in season 6, it wont be a memory or flash back, so I assume she is not really dead, the video tape was made to look old but is all done quickly to make it look like he is supremely powerful!!

I think Partidge is RJ and Lisbon is either related or a lover of his, she never has a boyfriend( once with mashburn, and briefly Bosco) The others, except jane have relationships, why is she always single????

Season 5 finale, check out how she looks at partridge when she enters the room, its almost subservient....and then gives him a nod to tell him Jane is in the room, why would she need to? she has a superior position to him and does not need to?????

I think that RJ killing someone from the carni is just a dig at Jane, the rest is a clever rouse by Jane to confirm his suspicion's re Lisbon, he does the same thing in EVERY episode with suspects to get to the truth, this time he has done the same thing to Lisbon...he reads her expressions when the dvd is shown, he did the same thing in the car when he tells her she cant keep secrets, and when he tells her about the memory he looks like he is trying to suss out whether she would buy it!!!!

Lisbon + Partridge = ultimate evil couple

clues we have about red john is
.
1) Red John is most likely a man
2) He appears to be a Caucasian, and is a white person as described by HaleyRed
3) John has an average height: Rosalind described him as "just under 6 feet tall"
4) Red John has short straight hair (as described by Rosalind Harker)
5)Red John either has or puts on an odd, high pitched and soft voice
6)Red John should be older than 30 years (since his murders date back to the 90's)
.
.
well
.
let's start with 1st
yes all suspects are men ok
.
let's go to second
yes all men are white
.
let's go to 3rd
.
Brett Stiles- 5'8.5"
Gale Bertam- 6' 3"
Robert Kirkland- 5' 9"
Sheriff McAllister- 6''
Brett Partridge- 5' 11"
Ray Haffner- 6'1"
Reede Smith 6'3"
.
so
Gale Bartam and Ray Haffner and Reedi smith are not red john
.
Now we have Brett Stiles , Robert Kirkland , Sheriff McAllister , Brett Partridge
.
let's go to 4th clue
all of them have stright hair
.
let's go to 5th clue
Brett Stiles , Sheriff McAllister
.
we have now
Robert Kirkland , Brett Partridge
.
we are so close Jan's sound (^_^)
.
.
you must say now it will be Kirkland because he older now take this gift from me
brett partridge born in real life 8-10-1968
Robert kirkland born in real life 24-3-1969
.
Brett partridge is older :D :D
don't Believe Google it
or Wikipedia
.
and red john will never be kirkland he kill someone who know red john and say
do you know me ?
the other say no i don't >>>explain<<<
.
and there is anew surprise remember the poet for william
"tiger tiger burning bright"
.
the same poet have poetry
.
called
partridge :D :D
don't Believe Google about this poet and see this poetry :D
.
now if you don't Believe anymore go die
.
red john = Brett partridge
^_^