Post-"316" Speculation and Theories

In the wake of this past episode of LOST, "316," I felt like I should post a list of theories and just ideas that have been running through my head. (Some of these theories are continuations/modifications of past theories that I came up with. Please see my "Post-Season 5 Premiere Speculation and Theories" post from back in January.) Here we go:

• Wasn't it bogus how Ben had told Jack that Locke hadn't come to see him, but when Jack found out that Ben had seen Locke off the Island, Ben's response was, "I went to see him." Wow. I have a proposition for you: Matthew Abaddon will not kill Locke, as I previously speculated. Ben's visit to Locke, or Jeremy Bentham, was to express to Locke that he must commit suicide. Once again, Ben will manipulate Locke and, whilst the Island told Locke he would have to die -- "I suppose that's why they call it sacrifice," is what Christian Shephard said -- Ben will use Locke's suicide to aid him in some way, perhaps in his return to the Island. After all, Ben must have a plan of some sort, and we know that his interests don't always match up with those of Jacob.
• Much of Charlotte's history was revealed to us in "This Place Is Death." She says that she remembered Daniel being on the Island when she was a child and described him like this: "...there was this man...a crazy man, he really scared me. And he told me that I had to leave the Island and never ever come back. He told me that if I came back I would die." This may go without saying, but I think that Daniel will go find Charlotte and try -- even though he's said it's impossible before -- to change the future and keep her from dying by telling her to never come back, because he loves her.
• On a somewhat similar note, I have a theory about Charlotte's parents. Her father and mother worked for the Dharma Initiative. Through her random snapshot stories ("Why can't Daddy come with us?" and "I moved away with my mum. Just my mum...and...I never saw my dad again."), it would seem that Ben's childhood playmate Annie -- whose fate we do not know -- was not killed in The Purge. Ben probably got married to her and had a daughter: Charlotte. Annie decided she wanted to leave the Island, though, at some point, fearing for her child's life amidst all the warring between The Hostiles and The Dharma Initiative. She realizes that it's not all just about "scientific research" but that there's more to it. Ben, however, committed to Richard long ago when he was just a child that he would wait for when the moment is right and participate in The Hostiles' Purge, probably being the one to let them in through the sonar fence. His primary motivation to do so was because he wants to be with his mom, who died in giving birth to him but whom he saw late one night out beyond the sonar fence. So, back to the situation: Ben doesn't want to leave but Annie does. Annie decides to leave with little Charlotte, who doesn't understand why her daddy isn't coming too. This is also why Ben likes Juliet so much: "You look just like her," is what Harper told Juliet in explaining Ben's manipulative, controlling tendencies towards her. Juliet probably looks like grown-up Annie.
  
• I have only become further convinced that Miles is the son of Martha and Pierre Chang -- just a side note but keep that in mind. ;)
  
• In "316," we find out that the Dharma Initiative found The Island through the use of the Dharma Lamp Post station and specifically the Foucalt pendulum. I'm willing to guess that Horace Goodspeed was the creator of the swinging pendulum in The Lamp Post station. Ms. Hawking described the man who built it as a "very clever fellow," and it would appear that Horace is ageless just like Richard from what we've seen of him. This, to me, means that he is probably extremely important; we just don't know it or understand the extent of his importance yet.
  
• I know that Jack, Hurley, and Kate at least seemingly "woke up" on the Island; however, this leads me to questions: "What happened to the actual plane?" Perhaps the plane landed on the runway that Kate and Sawyer worked on during their stay on the Alcatraz island as prisoners of The Others? This could explain why the canoes with the Ajira Airways water bottle were found at the Losties former camp: they had to canoe over to the main Island from the smaller Alcatraz island.
  
• I'm guessing that whoever Matthew Abaddon is working for and whatever his motive is, the two new characters we saw in "316," Ilana and Caesar, work for the same person and have the same motive. I'm guessing that they're a part of modern-day Dharma Initiative people who are off the Island, the people behind the scenes who actually realized that the Island was not only being used for scientific research but understood its true significance. Perhaps Matthew Abaddon is even the leader? I do not think that Abaddon is working for Widmore. Perhaps Abaddon is the "economist" who Sayid was tasked with killing by Ben while he worked for him off the Island after their rescue and Sayid's wife Nadia's subsequent death?
• I'm guessing that the group on the canoe that shot at Locke and company before the jump to the storm the night of Rousseau's arrival at the Island was probably Ilana and Caesar and perhaps others associated with them.
• It would seem that the Island is now (perhaps somewhat permanently) locked into Dharma Initiative time, sometime in the 80's maybe? I bet Daniel will warn the Dharma Initiative of the tragedy that is going to befall them in the form of The Purge and will see whether or not he can change the future.
• It would seem that Ben set out to stick to his word and kill Widmore's daughter, Penny, as revenge for Widmore killing his "adopted" daughter Alex. I think that Desmond will try to stop Ben and that Ben will try to kill Desmond but will not be able to because, just as Ms. Hawking said, The Island is not done with Desmond. So then, I'm guessing Ben will abandon his mission of killing Penny and instead will recognize the importance of Desmond's return to the Island and therefore take him to the plane and have him stowed away somewhere on it.

That's all. No fancy theories about what happened with/to Aaron to change Kate's mind and make her willing to go back.

I may have forgot something, in which case I'll add it and bring it to your attention.

But PLEASE! feel free to comment!! Correct me! Pick my brain! Suggest an alternate explanation! Get involved. :)