I've been trying to make sense of everything that's happened thus far.

It seems when the show just started, Bruno Hellar was very into mentalism and was attempting to weave a super comoplicated, but clever story.  At the end of the Red John storyline, it seems like he got tired of the story and just took a shortcut to get to the finish line.

I never got into the "multiple Red John" theories because I thought they were just too fantastic.  However, the more thought that goes into it, the more sense it makes.

So, how about this?

There has only been one Red John.  He died at Patricks hands just like Episode 6-8 shows.  However, there is a very intelligent (but terribly sick) person who has been playing Red John and Patrick against each other.  Neither Red John or Patrick knew he/she exists.  Patrick discovers this at the begiining of Season 7 and spends the rest of the season tracking him down and in the process explains all of the loose ends.  Thus, Bruno Hellar's reputaion as a brillant story teller.is redeemed.
 Perhaps this is lame, but do any of you have any better ideas?