Red John's personality can be described as the classic example of a psychopath: narcissistic, with zero empathy towards others and a tendency to manipulate those around him. He has constructed a god-like or Messianic self image which he values and which he reacts furiously to others' belittling.
In the Pilot, Patrick Jane comments that "Red John thinks of himself as a showman, an artist. He has a strong sense of theater"; which is evident in his use of the Smiley Face and elaborate murder scenes. His modus operandi also reveals that he takes great pleasure in the suffering of others (see Modus operandi).
He appears to be cultured, showing an appreciation for classical music. For example, he enjoys listening to his ex-girlfriend Rosalind Harker play piano pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach, his favorite composer. Rosalind said that he admired Bach's rigor. Red John is also fascinated by the work of English painter and poet William Blake, naming the Blake Association in his honor and using the first two words of his poem The Tyger as organization's passcode. It's possible he took his nickname from Blake's series of paintings "The Great Red Dragon", depicting the Red Dragon by Apocalypse of St. John.
Like Jane, Red John enjoys tea and is seen drinking it in his appearances in "Red John's Footsteps" and "Red Is The New Black".
Patrick Jane reveals that "he doesn't have partners, he has tools". Each of his accomplices view Red John as a figure worthy of an admiration so great that they are willing to do anything he asks of them, even if that means killing themselves or others to hide his identity. On the contrary, Red John views his accomplices as disposable tools and doesn't hesitate to kill them when they are no longer useful for his purposes or to protect himself.
However, Red John's identity has not always been so clandestine. When Father Peter DiBuono visited Visualize on Elliston farm in 1987, he recalled that "some kid" drew a smiley face on the side of a barn and that there was a "bad vibe about that place". Red John also risked exposure when he snuck into the CBI to poison his follower, Rebecca Anderson. Moreover, Sophie Miller, Jane's former psychiatrist could identify Red John and described him as:
"Preliminary diagnostic session with Jay Roth. Mr. Roth came in complaining of a recent issue with severe acrophobia (fear of high places). He’s middle-aged, in good health, with no stated prior history of psychiatric issues. He has no living family, but many friends on whom he relies for company and emotional support (likely a reference to his numerous accomplices). He’s well-spoken, good posture, self-possessed. In the waiting room, he sat calmly in one place, needing no distraction. Though I note, he is an excellent whistler. His self-presentation is pleasant, but there are hints in his behavior of a damaged and narcissistic personality. He says he deals with conflict and adversity easily, though. I’m not convinced he’s being truthful about this. In fact, much of what he said, though spoken convincingly, did not match what I can only call my instinctive response to his presence, though I cannot point to any identifiable clinical behaviors that indicate this. I sense something deceptive and dark in his emotional makeup. However, there is every indication that his phobia issues are real whether acrophobia or some other issue remains to be seen. An interesting case. I look forward to further sessions with him." '
- Sophie Miller in "Black-Winged Redbird"
Red John's narcissism is most evident when he punishes those who belittle him. Those who have degraded his image in public quickly suffer: Red John murdered Jane's wife and daughter after Jane called him "a lonely soul, sad, very sad" on TV; news reporter Jacqueline Sandoval (who called him "a beast") and James Panzer (who said he was "nothing compared to the San Joaquin Killer") were killed too; and Kristina Frye (who invited him to "reach out and get help") was kidnapped and left in a catatonic state. He exacts this revenge quickly, killing Jane's family, Panzer and Sandoval on the same night of the tauntings. It can be concluded that Red John pays close attention to televised news broadcasts and talk show programs or subscribes to a an online service that mentions his name) to enjoy the attention being given to his crimes, also allowing him to know if his name is being mentioned unfavourably.
Because he is very proud of his image, he doesn't tolerate being copycatted either. He calls Dylan and Ruth's copycatting "cheap imitations of my work" and swiftly kills them. Strangely, Red John did not harm Dr. Linus Wagner, who copycatted him in the Pilot, possibly because Wagner was jailed for his crime.
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