First of all think all those people who have only seen the last two seasons believe that the end of season 6 was perfect because they dont know anything about what happen before on the show ,if that was the real end would have been the series finale, not the season finale happy forever and ever and all that shit just think the show was always intended for seven seasons for one reason because the story line of the show that was The Mentalist vs Red John ends there just think about it ,if the show were to continue for more seasons then it would make sense to continue starting for the happy ending but just going to continue for one more season just one 
Now that said, Let's analyze the whole story as a writer when you write a story from the divide start the story in light and dark then you give a face to these characters and create these characters from the beginning not invent who is along history now imagine that you mention a name in one chapter that probably the majority didnt saw no one knows and now this is the main villain is just really stupid , the dark character of the story must be someone who is always on the history and very close to the main character from this point now think many stories of comics, movies , books , antique books repeats the same pattern , the closest person to the main character is the evil character , who's the person in this story? Teresa Lisbon now the lover of Pattrick jane closer than ever. Now think again from the point of view of red john , for those who have not seen the entire series in a chapter a major character named Timothy Carter was appointed by red john to be the starting point for Patrick to begin their new life Teresa with her in the real red john because she has always been in love with Patrick but then he realized that Timothy was not the real red john , but the intention of the real red john was that patrick forget his revenge against red john this implies that red john never leave the shadows or like Patrick said once he likes to think he is invisible or he likes to hide in plain sight 
Teresa always wants to know patrick plan to have time to anticipate it, and that's what always happened in all plans to catch red john so when he started to make a list of the names he closed the door
Now's analyze the latest and greatest plan patrick jane The list, many do not know but patrick has never had the need to write the data can be stored in the memory palace that patrick is, but still started writing the names in a notepad, I think that the seven names on the list patrick already knew long time ago put those names in the notebook, and the only one that had seen the notebook was Teresa
Patrick created the Schrodinger cat experiment when closed the door of the attic and the cat teresa lisbon all she found was that Patrick discovered that she is red john she fell into the trap because that list is a trap
Patrick created it mainly to check that red john would know the names of the list, the same names patrick put in that book, that book that teresa could get and see the names, that's the reason why patrick closed the door, he knew she could not resist the curiosity to know those names, so when he saw the dvd alone realized that she had fallen into the trap  trying to prove that she was smarter than patrick On That moment she lost the battle teresa, teresa did the same thing with timothy carter and mccallister only move a pawn that can be sacrificed trying to convince patrick that they were  the reals red john just think about it Require teresa as his partner in the fbi, going for years, taking away her only chance of a life of love with agent pike ,BEGIN A NEW LIFE WITH HER all part of the plan to destroy the real red john, Teresa Lisbon,
If you see the chapter "Red John" mccallister never try to use his weapon just talks and talks, never tries to shoot just as timothy, both knew they were going to die all the looks of disappointment and anger from patrick to teresa on the chapter 5x22 all the chapter make sense 
RED JOHN WOULD NEVER GET THE SAME MARK LIKE HER SHEEPS 

I totally understand the frustration of those who had hoped for answers or at least somthing that might indicate they still intend to give any.

While I am not a big fan of the episode as such I get why they wrote it like that.

The RJ fanbase was getting weakener at the latest during season 5, because people where tired of waiting for an answer to the riddle. The majority of them wouldn't have accepted for this arc to be extended into season 7. In an interview from 2009 Heller stated that the conclusion of RJ would be a series ender rather then a season ender.

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/the-mentalist-last-episode-plans/

Baker and Tunny both had contracts for 7 seasons so they had a vested interest to get another season. While the RJ crowd deminished,  JIsbon shippers were a consistent and loyal fanbase. It made sense to use a good portion of the season to further build that base with the hope to get renewed for season 7 and it worked! Blue Bird was the well earned reward for this part of the fanbase. To be honest it was the Jisbon shippers that kept the show on the air.  

With the season finale playing out like it did most will have given up hope for further answers. I am not one of them and here is how I would connect the season finale to the RJ story line.

Janes big romantic gesture, the crying, the confessions of love were a con with the single purpose to keep Lisbon around. 
The reason to keep her around would either be that he is investigating Lisbon as a possible RJ or her being an important piece of leverage against RJ.

The fake letter was his attempt to keep her around by only giving her a romantic gesture and avoid commiting to anything more concrete. Once this attempt failed he had to go all in.

Notice his very composed and manipulative facial expression in that last scene before Lisbon enters the room. Also once she brings up the subject Jane returns to being  as evasive as possible with out risking to make her change her mind. In the very last seconds he avoids repeating what he said on the plane and instead leans in to kiss her.

So in essence there are two major fanbases the RJ camp and the Jisbon camp. He can't give the RJ camp without destroying any possibility for season 7 so he gives the Jisbon people what they crave. 

You Serious?

I cried...finally JISBON!! So cute! 

Sorry @Brigmorewitches..All I was talking about is the fact that we have 2 choices: complaining for another year or trying to be positive.
 
If people (ex-fans) choose complaining, fine. I understand. But what's the point?
And if the other half (who are still fans, not ex-fans) are trying to enjoy season 7 episodes, then that's fine too. I'm in this second group.

I personally don't see any sense in the fact that if you hate the show, why would you still come here for another year to whine about Red John? Yes, for a while I understood it, I was doing it too, but not in 6 months or a year, or whenever the new season starts, I think it's just silly. 

If you still like the show, keep watching it and write down your thoughts, If you don't, choose something else..It's common sense, really.

I have to say, I'm really pleasantly surprised in Stoopkid! He wrote some comments about this under some posts and he talked so much sense! Completely agree with you on this Stoopkid!:)

Looking back, I can tell that Lisbon could make the PERFECT Red John.

Think
about it.She was there since the beginning.She was the leader of Red
John investigation.She is strong, very good with weapons and kind of a
lesbian.(Or at least that's how I see her)

She likes Jane but she
wants to be friends with him, not lover.That's why for 6 seasons until
now she denied all the romance chemistry that was growing.

That also explains why RJ didn't kill Lisbon at the "pigeon house" .

Plus that explains how Lisbon got the list before Jane.She was always trying to watch Jane with the list and what he got.

She had help from Lorelei (also a lesbian :P) to make the tape.

She has father issues (He was a sadistic drunk as far as we know)

She is the leader of BA but of course she is too clever to have the three-dot tattoo.
Plus that explains the high pitched voice RJ has.
She is naive enough for us to understand she is extremely clever.
She always tries to stand against Jane and his tricks, kinda like challenging him.
Remember the episode where Jane went to visit Sophie Miller.When she called him she said "You are at her house right?"
She came up with the trick at Jane's house when the suspects were gathered.She hypnotized McAllister into thinking he is RJ.

She always comes and rescues Jane at the exact moment.Random?I don't think so.

Jane thinks he knows Lisbon well and can tell when she lies.But is that really true?
Besides we never got to see Lisbon's daily routine!And every time this subject comes at the surface she always avoids to answer.

She could easily be a member of Visualize at the past.She has a mysterious relationship with Bret Styles.

I don't accuse Lisbon for being Red John but I would like it if it turned to be that way.(Not a chance! :D)

Thanks for reading!

Hello. my theory is about the"he is mar-man clue, when they showed us that clue they first show us it's reflection on the "mirror" my be the mirror is a clue that we should read the "he is mar-man backwards (from right to left) because on the mirror it's like that  (ram si eh) i don't know what it means but it could be numbers or it could be rearranging letters for a name or a sentence, and it could also be a different language