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Most creation myths share similar traits, but for the sake of this argument I’m using the egyptian version. This influence was featured on the show in the oldest context and can be seen in much of what we’ve been shown of the Island’s history.

In the beginning there was only water, a chaos of churning, bubbling water, this the Egyptians called Nu. It was out of Nu that everything began.The sun god Ra emerged out of primeval chaos; came out of a blue giant lotus flower that appeared on the surface of the water. Thus The Island was created.

Ra gave light to the universe & Atum was the first Man (or in this context the first Protector) of this light. If light equals knowledge, then the Island is The Source of Enlightenment; inspiration for human advancement. Various leaps in mankind’s collective consciousness have been evolved or catalyzed by connections to the Island, ie  egyptians, the greeks, the renaissance, now the information age. It may have had many names as it moved around our Earth and plane of existence, such as Atlantis, Shangri-La, El Dorado, or any other mythic lost city. Concepts of The Island also have deep connections to what various religions call an ‘afterlife’ or at least first stage of what leads to it — the light of life, of enlightenment, and ‘holiness’. This is less of a geographic location, more of a metaphysical destination.

It Must Be Protected. The Island is the cork, the clasp on Pandora’s box. There is knowledge that we as a species are not ready for yet; things beyond our comprehension or ability to deal with. Indicative of the kind of forces beyond the light is the Smoke monster . Known by many names, like Ammit, Namtar or even Cerberus, Smokey is a force of nature and the embodiment of death (in a later iteration MiB’s violent death will awaken it, and allow MiB to take that role and all that power with it). Always has been and always will be, amongst many others that we may not have seen on the show; a veritable pantheon of spooks & baddies & things that go ‘bump’ on the Island. This influence can be seen on the similar archetypes of most polytheistic religion, and those mythologies dealing with naturism.

Protector: Mother
Advisor: Not shown or N/A

Adversary: Smoke Monster

Mother’s Island was rather peaceful, but reclusive. She feared and distrusted the people that came to the Island. Perhaps this resulted in her being more ‘in tune’ with the Island as she seemed to have much more information — although that may have been evened out when Jacob (later Jack) drank the communal… dirty water. The first civilized visitors to The Island, and likely the first inhabitants, were the egyptians. This is evidenced by hieroglyphics found in the room beneath the Temple, along the tunnels, & adorning the ‘plug’ and the room containing the donkey wheel. The Temple was built during this age, as well as the statue. This is where egyptians, mayans, maybe even greeks got their inspiration for aspects of their mythology and it influenced their own views of the afterlife. Major points of human advancement can be traced back to contact with The Island, though not all of the visitors to the Island would find enlightenment.

“They come. They fight. They destroy. They corrupt. It always ends the same.” Man In Black

There has always been Others: The Island had a number of other visitors throughout the ages. We can see a number of influences on Mother; speaking multiple languages from latin to spanish, to an ancient loom with greek iconography. The effect of Hostiles on The Island and the legacy of their discoveries would also bring the realization that it could also be corrupted. The Island purges itself time & time again to fend off this threat, later carried out by the Man In Black, or Ben’s Purge of the Dharma Initiative.

Everything from The Pilot to The End, the bulk of what we viewed, is the current iteration of the cycle; preceded by Mother, anteceded by Hurley. The entire age we watch is the fateful prophecy & intervention of Jacob, in conflict with the simultaneous machinations of the MiB. Both sides, by very different Light & Dark routes, work towards the same endgame… their deaths and the end of the current cycle. White & black in an eternal struggle is symbolized by opposing strategies in a never-ending board game between two mythic players. They can both see each others pieces, without knowing what the other was really planning.

The final piece of the plan was needing Desmond (who has steeled himself against the ‘magic’ of the Island from Swan implosion) to remove the plug and turn off The Source, so Jack could kill the MiB and the surviving 6 could leave. Man In Black’s cunning to find loopholes (via time travel, & self-fulfilling propecies) to break the current cycle, and Jacob’s faithful interventions & prophecy to allow it to end.

More on this topic to come in a later post on #Lost: The Lighthouse & The  Compass

Others: Rose & Bernard, and assumedly the children with the flight attendant that never left, remain on The Island harmonious and in tune with the nature around them.

The cycle of people coming to the Island would continue, as it always has. Perhaps even for a while Hurley & Ben (as hinted by their ‘future’ convo in the Finale) would establish a Pax Atlantica… for a while. I agree that Hurley’s Island would be more akin to Fantasy Island, with Ben as his ever-faithful Tattoo. Fantastic voyages to the dream-like Island seems like his cup of tea, and chock full of the pop culture he (and I) love. The role in the ‘new’ Island (Hurley’s reign) of Smokey would be Jack [as he died & ended up in the same spot/position/etc as the MiB in AcrossThe Sea]. He would not neccessarily be vengeful, but would be adversarial to the Protector to keep it all in balance.

In time, there would have to be more Widmore’s looking to exploit for their own ulterior motives… more Alvar Hanso / Dharma Initiatives full of good intentions and shoddy methods… perhaps even more shipwrecked pregnant mothers drawn to the Island, only to give birth to twin monsters.

There are always Protectors & enlightened, there will also always be Hostiles & Villains.

“Remember. Let Go. Move On.” Damon Lindelof