I like this. Now here is the question - Locke was "chosen" by the island - but what if he were only the guide and not the great poobah like Ben thought he was? The high mucky-muck is Jack as mentioned above. Jack was the one who chose be the one to drop the bomb into the Swan site. Jack saved Ben's life and perhaps will do so again after anti-Locke killed Jacob....Jack becomes the new Jacob in order for the other survivors to leave.....
Good idea infrared!

I am beginning to wonder if Locke was meant to be essentially the Richard Alpert to Jack's Ben. In other words, my initial instinct is that Island leadership is a binary system or something. There has to be two people. What we've seen so far sure seems to indicate that it's a two person role. Richard and Eloise. Richard and Ben. Perhaps Richard and Widmore at one time. (It sure seemed like Widmore was in charge at some point.)
I have always thought this and that particular episode was one of the great foreshadowing moments of the series.
I believe it has been brought to our attention again when they did a recap. But with locke dead and we know that no one has been "brought back" then I wonder? Which would leave one to recall that Jacob had man number 2 as the other leadership role.
Additionally Eloise also singled out Jack to give him Locke's note and to have him put the shoes on Locke so they would have the proxy! Ummm
I can finally accept that Jack is more than what I had imagined from the first episode.