History WMG / TheMentalist

Jane obviously enjoyed talking with his hallucinated daughter and was sad when she left because the hallucinogen wore off. At the end of "Devil's Cherry", he's shown using a tea infuser similar to the one containing the toxic belladonna leaves from the beginning of the episode.

Taking the guess about Red John never having actually killed someone personally a step further. The Red John case is a [[GhostInTheShell Stand Alone Complex]]. All Red John killings are the work of copy cats and "follower" who are following the whims of a man who doesn't exist and never really existed to begin with.

It may be that it actually was THE Red John that Patrick killed in "Strawberries & Cream", but he sacrificed himself knowing his disciple would carry on the RJ dark dream, and thus frustrate Patrick even in death; the simple fact that Red John's mission continues unabated counts for a great deal.

In keeping with the various ideas, it's not impossible that two or more would mesh. Look at all the various theories and then see the overlaps. Basically the original Red John had a specific agenda, but was willing to look at anyone who appeared to follow his(her?) ideas, just as long as any follower kept true to Red John's own vision. The reason for followers? It would prove easier to throw the CBI, and in particular Patrick Jane, off the RJ trail; more than one perpetrator means more than one set of details, the very thing Patrick fixates on, so the multiplicity keeps throwing him off. At the same time, Red John does have a ''very'' specific agenda, he does not approve of mere copycats, hence his killing off of the wanna-bes in "Red Sky in the Morning". Still, he might recognize at least one follower who does follow his specific dark agenda, and to that one he entrusts his mission. All of the various ideas above would have enough in common that two of them could come together, see the bloody goal they have in common, and bond their purpose in this.
It may be that it actually was THE Red John that Patrick killed in "Strawberries & Cream", but he sacrificed himself knowing his disciple would carry on the RJ dark dream. Voice technology does cover up a great, great deal.

Mashburn claims to have many friends in law enforcement and politics. Red John's acolytes have made similar claims. Mashburn is able to deduce that Jane is a "psychic charlatan" "by his look", and again, Jane has been told that Red John is as adept as he is at reading people. Mashburn even ends the episode by saying that the next time they meet, maybe he'll be the killer. Plus, in the first season, Jared Renfrew wrote in blood "He is Ma" before the blood trails off. He is Mashburn, perhaps? Plus, Mashburn tells us he's had many wives, a term known to be used by Red John for the women he's killed.

Think about it. He has a known MO for using pawns and moles to kill all the people he needs. I don't think he gets his thrills from the killing of people. I think he gets them Charlie Manson-style, he gets them from having other people do his bidding. So that guy from the end of season three really did kill Jane's Family, but as Red John doesn't get his hands personally dirty he didn't actually kill Jane's family. There's no concrete proof that Red John has actually ever killed anyone himself. All the onscreen killings are done by moles, and all the scenes stumbled onto by Jane and company simply fit the description of the profile the police have on Red John. The one person that Red John could easily kill (and assuming you don't think it conflicts with the other WMGs here) is Kristina Frye. He doesn't. What does he do? He messes with her mind. The hallmark of a masterfully manipulative bastard.

Mashburn claims to have many friends in law enforcement and politics. Red John's acolytes have made similar claims. Mashburn is able to deduce that Jane is a "psychic charlatan" "by his look", and again, Jane has been told that Red John is as adept as he is at reading people. Mashburn even ends the episode by saying that the next time they meet, maybe he'll be the killer. Plus, in the first season, Jared Renfrew wrote in blood "He is Ma" before the blood trails off. He is Mashburn, perhaps?

From a parallel universe; specifically one of the alternate universes from {{Fringe}}.

If only because everyone that Grace dates is evil, and at least one of them was working for Red John. It only makes sense that the most UST is towards the main villain.

Red John has unrestricted access to the CBI's computer networks, evidence logs, and premises. He has a thorough working knowledge of police forensics techniques. And, of the members of his "network" revealed so far, every one is in some way involved in law enforcement (a sheriff, a CBI civilian employee, an EMT, an FBI agent), which makes it seem unlikely that they were successfully approached and recruited into a covert serial killing organization by a civilian. Conclusion: Red John is CBI, and of high enough rank that he has full access to all of their evidence and personnel files, as well as the files of other police agencies in the California area.

Think about it. He has a known MO for using pawns and moles to kill all the people he needs. I don't think he gets his thrills from the killing of people. I think he gets them Charlie Manson-style, he gets them from having other people do his bidding. So that guy from the end of season three really did kill Jane's Family, but as Red John doesn't get his hands personally dirty he didn't actually kill Jane's family. There's no concrete proof that Red John has actually ever killed anyone himself. All the onscreen killings are done by moles, and all the scenes stumbled onto by Jane and company simply fit the description of the profile the police have on Red John. The one person that Red John could easily kill (and assuming you don't think it conflicts with the other WMGs here) is Kristina Frye. He doesn't. What does he do? He messes with her mind. The hallmark of a masterfully manipulative bastard.

** It could be that Patrick Jane as we know him is a ''Red John'' personality that was created by his subconscious disgust of who he is, and wanted to have a relatively normal life. Red John was unaware of Patrick's existence until his condemnation of Red John... now he knows, and both sides of himself are fighting each other. A part of Red John ''wants'' to be caught, and he eventually will be but not before enjoying the thrill of it all as much as he can. What better adversary can you have but yourself?

** It could be that Patrick Jane as we know him is a '"Red John'' personality that was created by his subconscious disgust of who he is, and wanted to have a relatively normal life. Red John was unaware of Patrick's existence until his condemnation of Red John... now he knows, and both sides of himself are fighting each other. A part of Red John ''wants'' to be caught, and he eventually will be but not before enjoying the thrill of it all as much as he can. What better adversary can you have but yourself?

[[WMG: Kimball Cho is secretly in love with Teresa Lisbon.]]
Cho doesn't show it, since he deeply values keeping his thoughts to himself, but he's had a smoldering desire to have sex with Lisbon since his first day on the job. He thinks she's pretty, and loves the way she mixes openness and sarcasm with introversion. He also has a touch of jelousy and admiration at her for being able to command the team while he is forced to simply obay. He's wary of Patrick Jane, since he thinks Jane is interested in Lisbon, not least because they often go on assignments alone, but finds himself just frustrated with Van Pelt and Rigsby's relationship, since he knows Van Pelt doesn't have any feelings for Rigsby at all while Rigsby's got a bad case of puppy love, and it frustrates him that a grown adult like Rigsby could act so stupid sometimes. Sometimes, while Cho is lying in bed, he chides himself with not simply being more open towards Lisbon and showing her how he feels. Also, after his first two weeks on the job, he secretly took a picture of Lisbon asleep in her office, printed it out, and masturbated on it at home. He deleted the file and burned the picture soon afterward, and to this day still has regrets over what he secretly did in his moment of weakness.

Or at least, he had when the season 3 finale was written, and a major arc of season 4 would have been Jane, stripped of his shield of revenge, actually having to grieve and move on from Angela and Charlotte's death. But then the higher-ups had a panic attack, believing that if Red John was dead, people would stop watching the show, and forced the writers to make it that Jane killed an accomplice, not Red John himself.

And as per his usual manner, will take thing just a little too far, becoming [[TheFundamentalist The Funda]][[TheMentalist Mentalist]].

*** [[spoiler: [[OrIsIt Orrrrr not]].]]

*** [[spoiler: [[OrIsIt Orrrrr not]].]]

** [[spoiler: [[OrIsIt Orrrrr not]].]]

** Confirmed. OrIsIt

** [[spoiler:revealed as a RedHerring as of the end of Season Three.]] OrIsIt?

** [[spoiler: Let's say he's yet another accomplice; he knows Red John will kill him for failing to eliminate Hightower. Whether the real Red John is Jane himself, La Roche, Bertram, Malcom [=McDowell=] or some AssPull new actor, he knows he's gonna die, and just like the failed assassin, he makes it happen.]]