The Protector Makes The Rules by Slopster53

My theory assumes that whoever has the mantle of "Protector of the Island" makes "the rules", based off of "Mother's" two edicts to young Jacob and MIB that we've seen come true:

"You can't hurt each other" and, to young MIB alone, "You can never leave this island"

Ultimately I think that Mother was protector the island with both black (death) and white (life) embodied within herself, but saw fit to split these two aspects of herself in the next protectors when she got two sons instead of one.

The point of this theory though, is that she bestowed "Protector of the Island" status to Jacob and not MIB. This would mean that while Jacob didn't get the killer (death) powers that MIB got, he got life extension, healing powers, candidacies, and the ability to make "the rules."

These rules would extend to everyone and everything on the island, including MIB and smokey form.

Where do we see the applications of such a theory on past seasons and episodes?

First of all let's talk about the Others. We still don't know exactly how they formed. Are they all or were they all candidates? If not, are they just people like Jacob and MIB that realized the specialness of the island and wanted to live in peace there? Are they all people that were "brought" or "contracted" by Jacob? Did any of them come to the island through truly "accidental" means?

These questions we don't have the answers to, but we can surely assume, that if "the rules" didn't apply to MIB, he'd kill the Others in a heartbeat right? But until the Temple (when Jacob was dead) we had never seen MIB attack the Others before. In fact, it seemed like MIB/Smokey HAD to come to the Others' aid if summoned, as Ben did to combat Keamy through the water hole? How can we explain MIBs behavior unless he HAD to do what Jacob said while he was alive?

This theory would also impact the rules between Ben and Charles. Just as Mother decreed that Jacob and MIB couldn't hurt each other, so does Jacob now decree that his followers can't hurt each other. This also explains all the Others being fanatical to following the rules, even to their own deaths. It seems that the price of living on the island under Jacob's protection is 100% loyalty. They were about to kill Juliet for shooting Pickett in defense of Sawyer (a candidate), but she gets of with a branding. He also decrees that his "candidates" those he touches can't die until he says so, or unless they kill off each other.

This theory also sheds some light on Dharma, as Jacob clearly allowed them rights on the island. The difference was that Jacob obviously didn't have the same level of trust with Dharma as he did the others, as they were only allowed to be on certain parts of the island. In fact, this was really all that was asked of them. It looks like Jacob allowed MIB to screw with them as a check and balance, hence the need for Sonic fences. Their breach of the truce (the rules) probably lead to the purge.

This theory does have a few holes. MIB has outright killed people before, such as the pilot, nadeen of the french crew, and a few others after talking to them, such as Eko. But from Ben we've learned that Others go to MIB after committing some offense to be judged, perhaps breaking Jacob's rules. Maybe Jacob allows MIB to kill some of the true undesirables on the island, or those that break the rules, or maybe the enforcer of the rules. Perhaps Mother used to be Judge, Jury and Executioner, but now Jacob is Jury, and MIB both Judge and Executioner.

This theory also informs the questions about the cabin, and how MIB was able to be Smokey, and yet somehow still be "trapped" by the Ash around the cabin. I'll admit I don't have all the answers about the cabin, but it seems to me that the ash around the cabin is meant to keep MIB trapped inside, not keep him out. If MIB is truly under Jacobs control through the rules, why would he need to be imprisoned? Maybe to keep him from screwing with the others, or maybe it was because he knew the final candidates were coming to the island and he didn't want MIB to have a chance at corrupting them.

ANYWAYS...

It would appear that "the rules" continue after the last Protector utters them, and that they will remain in effect until all remains of a Protector are gone (killing the candidates). As long as potential Protectors are alive, all the old decrees of past Protectors are still enforced. Until Jack, Sawyer, Hurley, and one more Mystery Candidate (Kate?) are dead, Mother's "you will never leave this island" rule will be real for MIB.

So where does the show go from here? If one of the candidates can effectively take the Protector Mantle then MIB will still ostensibly be trapped forever. As long as somebody embodies the light side of the island, the dark will always be subject to that light. Except there is no wine ceremony coming for any of our losties anytime soon I suppose. How will one or all of them "accept the mantle"? And perhaps the most vexing question of all...

What new rules will the new Protector make for the island?