Follow What Leader, When? by Carole Anne

I just re-watched “Follow the Leader” and it looks like the others seem to be functioning quite well without a leader since Locke left 3 years ago. After Locke, Ben and Sun approach the others in their beachside camp, Richard says to Locke “I haven’t seen you in 3 years.” So if both Ben and Locke have been off the island for 3 years, then who’s their leader?

Maybe they don’t need one, although they seem to have had one for quite some time.

It could be it’s only when Jacob brings new “recruits” to the island that the others need to have someone who can visit Jacob to find out how to deal with them. I think MIB/Smokey just waits for them to destroy themselves or moves in with Smokey to resolve things. (Killing people or assuming an influential identity.) It’s the new people who seem to be at the center of Jacob and MIB’s struggle.

Of course there could be a leader that we haven’t seen yet. But if that’s so, then why is Richard so willing to follow Locke upon his return?

I’d LOVE feedback as to how the others have been functioning in Locke’s absence. These are people I’ve considered as possibilities for leadership while Locke’s gone.

Richard, as far as we know, has never been a leader. He’s been more of a liaison between Jacob and the others. Of course, it’s possible that Richard is MIB’s man conning the others into thinking he’s bringing orders from Jacob, or he’s actually bringing orders from Jacob.

Eloise could be magically commuting to the island in some secret way. Or MIB/Smokey has temporarily taken the form of someone who died. Alex and Keamy come to mind. That could present an interesting situation for Locke as he resumes leadership.

I don’t think there’s a duplicate or triplicate Locke since Richard says he hasn’t seen him. Maybe Richard is acting as “interim leader” since he somehow knows Locke will return as part of MIB’s plan.

Could Rose and/or Bernard have become the leader? After all, they have learned how to live in harmony with the island and either one of them could develop leadership abilities. I’d just love to see Rose confront Flocke in her all knowing, maternal manner.

Side note: It seems like the others have moved out of the Barracks and have returned to their more nomadic tent dwelling. I suspect that after Keamy, his cohorts, and Smokey created enough devastation, the old ways looked pretty appealing. Hence the dilapidated look of at least some of the Dharma buildings. I know some of you think that this is an Alt reality and maybe it is. But this seems to be the way the others are living in this reality.

So in conclusion there may not need to be a leader at all. Most of this is speculation, hence a theory. Maybe all this was resolved in posts that I have missed. But if you have comments, answers or thoughts please let me know.