What If "The Mentalist" Patrick Jane and the CBI Catch Red John?

Patrick Jane, "The Mentalist" and slightly crazed but utterly devoted "psychic" consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) unit lives for one thing-catching Red John, the fictional character who killed his wife and child. The possibility of finding new evidence that can help catch Red John is the single aspect of Jane that makes him want to continue working with the CBI; that and the unrequited affection he feels for Theresa Lisbon, his boss and best friend. From losing Agent Sam Bosco in Season Two, Episode Eight, "His Right Red Hand," to the kidnapping of both Jane himself and his psychic friend Kristina Frye in Season Two Episode 23, "Red Sky in the Morning," the season finale, Red John seems to taunt Jane just as Jane taunted Red John-the taunting that led to the killing of Jane's family. With the plot so thick, what would happen if the CBI ever caught Red John?

Possible Scenario

When Bosco is killed by a Red John "fan", viewers learn that Bosco's secretary Rebecca was part of the plot. She was not only the Red John stand in that killed Bosco and three other agents, but she was the proverbial "Right Red Hand" that fed information to Red John and helped him get further away. However, she also helped Jane get the case back-at Red John's urging-the reason for the killings.

Jane has already promised Lisbon in Season One, Episode 23, "Red John's Footsteps," that "If we catch Red John, he's not walking anywhere. He's mine." Viewers can only assume that Jane would outright kill him, make him suffer as Red John has tortured Jane with the images of what he did to his family. In fact, Jane said so in Season One, Episode Nine, "Flame Red," that, "I'm gonna cut him open and watch him die slowly like he did with my wife and child." Nevertheless, Lisbon, being the honest and trustworthy detective she is will of course have to arrest Jane if he followed through with his promises.

Now that viewers know what Jane will do if the CBI ever catches Red John, it is simply a matter of when it will happen. However, that depends entirely on when the ratings have slowed because in all likelihood, Jane catching and killing Red John will be the end of the show-the series finale.

What Would Jane Have to Live For?

Considering the entire series is built on the Red John case and Jane's obsession with it, it is entirely possible that Jane would stop working with the CBI if Red John were ever caught and Jane did not kill him, but instead allowed Lisbon to arrest him instead. Alternatively, Jane may continue working with the CBI until Red John were given the lethal injection he would surely receive to if he were caught, tried and convicted.

Given that it has been many years that Red John has been on the run with no new or sustainable leads to finding him, catching him will probably not happen anytime soon. Nevertheless, drama being what it is, 'The Mentalist's' Jane and the CBI will surely catch their killer at least once before the series end.

Sources:
"'The Mentalist' Home Page" Yahoo! TV
"'The Mentalist,' Season One Episode Nine,'Flame Red,'" Yahoo! TV
"'The Mentalist,' Season Two Episode Eight, 'His Right Red Hand,'" Yahoo! TV
"'The Mentalist' Season Two Episode 23, 'Red Sky in the Morning,'" Yahoo! TV
"'The Mentalist' Season One, Episode 23, 'Red John's Footsteps,'" Yahoo! TV