Is Richard the real Protector of the Island? by Bama76

Based on the information provided last night in Across the Sea, must we assume now that Richard is the protector of the island? Jacob just went about it in a different way then his "mother".

We see that for Jacob to becom the protector of the island, he agreed to take the job (Richard agree's to a job) and to seal the deal, the liquid in the bottle was drank (Richard!). Where does this leave Jack? We have always assumed that Jack is the replacement for Jacob. What if Richard is now just making progress? He has not truly interferred with the happening's on the island, he has claimed to be the middle man between Jacob and the people on the island. Maybe Richard just doesn't know what his real job was when he took Jacob's offer. And can there be a replacement for Richard (or whoever is the real protector) since MIB smashed the bottle with the liquid against some rocks? Is the liquid the key to the special powers given the protector?

How did Jacob's brother die? We were told again last night that they cannot harm each other. It was made to look like Jacob could have killed him in the stream by slamming his head against the rock bed and then pushing his dead body into the cave of light. But how could this have been the case if they could not harm each other?

Will anyone go out on a limb and declare that the woman who raised the brother's was the/a smoke monster as well. She made the destruction of the village and cave seem pretty easy for a fraile/elderly woman.