I find it interesting some of the similarities that Ben and Locke share. By way of the son's actions, both are left fatherless. Neither had a real mother in their childhood. Both can see dead people. I don't know, it just seems that all the ways Ben seems "special" Locke meets the same criteria.
Excellent point on Locke/Ben similarities. I was thinking of that this evening while rewatching The Brig and Man Behind the Curtain - Locke was reminding me of Ben the way he manipulated Sawyer into killing Anthony Cooper. He does kind of fit the role that Ben was able to fit - the "hostiles" probably allowed Ben to become their leader despite being an outsider because he can commune with The Island (and Jacob, obviously), and Locke fits the mold as well. It'll be interesting to see early in S4 if Locke tries to pull the remaining Others into his "anti-rescuer" group, or something like that, and maybe then starts making a play to take them over.