Theory on how the series will end - short and sweet by whydoestheshowhavetoend

I think the whole thing is really quite simple:

1. There must be a protector of the island (or a candidate) on the island at all times
2. The island ‘brings’ candidates to the island – like Claudia was brought, like Mother was brought (as she said, by accident), like Flight 815 etc etc.
3. Like the MIB said , no matter who comes to the Island, the same things happen over and over (build, destroy). I would think, in light of Across the Sea, that this means that Jacob is unable to find a suitable candidate no matter how hard he tries.

4. Of course not everyone is a candidate – each person is chosen by Jacob using his lighthouse, and bought to the Island. They must have certain special qualities.
5. These candidates cannot be killed by MIB once they have been touched by Jacob – they can only be killed by each other (this is one of the rules).
6. Now, we come to the loophole that MIB was referring to – the only way things can end is if Jacob dies and there is no suitable candidate to replace him. No candidate = no Source protector = bye bye Source.
7. I think what will happen in that case is that the island will disappear, taking with it the Source that the candidate is to protect. The result of which is not good, as Mother explained in ATS.
8. In the same way, the MIB will be set free (or go home, as he says). The source which imprisons MIB's soul (not his body, which it spat out)
9. I actually think that the MIB is not evil, but his soul is in pain and he wants to be set free. heck, who wouldn't.
10. MIB found a way to kill Jacob using a candidate (goes back to the rules I mentioned in no 5.), and now needs to eliminate all the candidates to make happen what we saw in the opening scene of season 6 – i.e. The Island disappears.
11. What MIB is doing now if eliminating the candidates by having them eliminate each other.
12. Which brings us to Widmore, what exactly is he doing there? Well, I think that he understands MIB’s purpose, and wants to protect the Island.
13. Is he a candidate? Or is he a de facto protector of the candidates like Illiana? I think he’s there to protect them and to make sure that the Source continues to exist.
14. And how do you destroy the MIB without destroying the Source? You can't. They are one and the same. One light, one dark. They have to exist in unity.
15. I think that in the end a candidate will be chosen (Jack, Hurley, Sawyer?) and the whole story will start again... More people will come, etc etc, as the current protector of the Island seeks a replacement, and the MIB will continue to thwart those plans.

Thanks.