The cork is protecting paradise from US by Madnhud

Okay, so here's a thought...what if the island isn't a 'cork' to keep Smokey/Evil on the island and away from OUR world, but instead a cork to keep US away from THEM.

Smokey is effectively the 'military' that protects paradise from us, and if he leaves, our evil will infiltrate paradise and therefore paradise will be LOST.

The candidate that will replace Jacob ultimately realizes that if they don't take over this position, what we think of as 'heaven' will be gone forever, the paradise of reunion with loved ones after we die will cease to exist. Which is why Hurley tells Richard that if he doesn't stop Smokey, we all go to hell. Within the context of Richard's religion, these are the simplest terms with which to describe the destruction of paradise~which is just a word I'm using to explain my theory.

This would be the ultimate, mind blowing twist that would be, for me sooooo satisfying! That WE are the evil.