I was actually thinking along those lines too...the images that were seen in smokey..like it is "reading them" and then I remember how it pulled Locke into a hole and Jack saved him, but Locke was ready to go-- not afraid,

I never understood why it killed Eko and how that jibes with Jacobs list and who is "bad"

also interesting is how Hurley is able to see the cabin where Ben and Locke can't because he is in favor with Jacob, I also think it is interesting how Claire survived that explosion...