MIB is NOT smokey by ThatLostGirl

Some of the inconsistencies we have seen in people's experiences with Smokey (John and Eko for example) do seem to suggest that perhaps there are different "versions" of smokey, but I think there is only one true Smokey and perhaps one "Fokey" (that's a really bad name, I know...).

Despite what we have seen (or think we have seen), MIB does not become Smokey - he can only take its form, much like he takes Locke's form, and does so for his own purposes (scaring Ben into following Flocke, killing Bram, etc.). Smokey exists separately from MIB and is what we've come to believe it to be: a security system of some kind for the Temple/Island/etc. This security system is used by the Others and can be called at will (i.e., Ben calling it to kill the mercenaries).

This is how our belief that Smokey guards the Temple and the evidence that the Others there are terrified of MIB are consistent. With that in mind, the ash spread by Bram and the Others does not keep Smokey at bay. We have never been given evidence of this in any other encounter with Smokey. Instead the ash keeps MIB at bay, in whatever form he takes, including that of Smokey.