I think that it would make perfect sense, in the very simple logic of why she could believe him.

The reason he would graduate so young would have nothing to do with continuoty error, as the Charolette slip up, but the fact he is a genius/prodigy, and his gift of intelligence.
We see him playing Chopin on the piano at a very young age. Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor is one of the most difficult pieces of music to memorize and play on the piano, and although I am aware it is done by many, and even people his age, I believe it was a subtle clue to his intelligence and great young mind.

After watching “Follow the Leader” I realized that Richard is one of the people this term applies too…and what made it really stand out was how we were watching him have to do the same thing in both 1977 and 2007…with Ellie and Jack, and with Locke. You’re right, he doesn’t have a lot of authority. But he represents something when it comes to the island. Which actually made me think that he might be indebted to it, in a way. Like perhaps he isn’t released from his role…and it has something to do with his past. This could especially work if he is dead.

Interesting thoughts to try and think about the ‘structure’ of the Others.

Remember the Juliet’s mark experience…and how Isabel was the ‘judge’ but Ben changed her sentencing and said, “the rules don’t apply” even though we had heard their whole rule about not being able to kill own of their own?

Looks like Locke is about to change the ‘structure’ which will make it even more interesting.
In

It would seem that within the factions…lets just say that it is DI vs. Others (natives)…that BOTH groups have abused/misused the island from it’s original state/purposes. Both have distorted what the island exists for…and why and for who…so that’s where John’s ability to ‘commune’ with the island is actually pretty integral.

Two things about Jacob being John’s father…which, I could buy into. First, is that if Jacob was originally part of a particular group, that would make this interesting. Like it’s been interesting to discover that Widmore was a leader of the Others. It would make sense considering that we tend to note ‘lineage’ both in terms of families as well as ‘groups’. Those groups have their belief systems, for lack of better term, and those belief systems dictate how they treat/use/represent the island. It would be a nice connection because it ties together Locke’s inherent connection to the island from the beginning.

Okay, here’s the other so very random thing about Jacob being John’s father. In the Bible, John the Baptist’s father was Zechariah. Zechariah was a priest who when told he was to have a son and was supposed to name him John, asked a question of doubt. Because of that doubt, he became a mute. He couldn’t speak the entire time his wife was pregnant and right until the time came for him to decide what to name his son. When he wrote “John” he got his voice back. That would be somewhat humorous (I guess, in a way) if Jacob truly can’t speak, and is John’s father, and it’s related to a punishment of sorts…not simply being ‘trapped.’ It works with the whole Locke/belief theme.

Okay, switching gears again.

I think it’s interesting to think about all the references to Jacob, if there is a Locke connection. One that came to mind the other day was remembering a line from Ben…that Jacob would be the one to cure her sister’s cancer if Juliet stayed on the island. I know it’s Ben we’re talking about here, but still…it’s interesting to consider some of those past Jacob references.

His view (which changes a lot… so his view at this point about half-way through) is that there is more than one god. There’s the creator deity who is insane and blind. He created our world but his blindness and insanity accounts for the evil and chaos we see all around us. The trend towards order is the intervension of the benevolent god who we know as God working to bring good to the world. At least that’s how I interpretted what he said…

That relates to the Others kind of… their structure is odd. The odd part is Richard. He kind of leads but he doesn’t? He’s important and near the top but he doesn’t really have any power? Kind of like the creator who isn’t really on top of the totem pole… Richard is insane and blind and effing things up but Jacob is trying to fix it. He can’t quite get completely through but he does have some influence…

There are so many missing pieces to this mystery it’s difficult to come up with something that really makes sense and isn’t built up on tons of speculation. We don’t know the true power structure of the Others. We don’t know the details of the truce. We don’t know the nature or role of Jacob. We don’t know what Richard is up to… Here’s what I think.

I think that Jacob is in charge of the Others, sort of on top of the whole hierarchy. Beneath him there’s Richard who advises the leaders(s). Before 1977 for example there was Jacob at the top with Charles and Ellie leading and being advised by Richard. At some point around 1960 the DHARMA Initiative manages to come to an agreement on guidelines enabling them to come to the island to study. Richard may not have been entirely happy about that. Along comes Ben Linus who was recruited by Richard. Later Richard and Ben conspire together to overthrow Jacob and they manage to trap him in the cabin. Then they hatch their plan to remove the DHARMA Initiative (the purge).

Along comes John Locke. John is Jacobs heir (in my opinion, his son). John goes through this and that, basically an entire lifetime of trials in preparation for his role. Now John is on the island and he’s setting out to kill his father to take his place as is the tradition. Richard and Ben are understandably uncomfortable with this.

Anyway, I just talked myself out of the point I was trying to make. I don’t know who’s fighting who because as I see it the Others under John Locke are on the same side as the DI2K. Maybe together they’ll have to fight off invaders of another group… maybe North Koreans or Somali Pirates or Crips or Bloods…

Okay, and as for your really well thought out scenario…you wouldn’t get sick of Kate and Juliet mud wrestling over you, so that’s the part I have a problem with. Otherwise, dead on!

And speaking of Jack being pregnant…maybe it’s him pregnant with Dan, and Charles was concerned about him, not Ellie!

Okay, so seriously, I have thought the same thing: “control of the island” and then it goes back to, “how can someone/group ‘control’ the island? what is the island? by controlling does it mean keeping any other group out/off? or is it control by using its powers and possibilities?” That’s what they have made us think so far…so will it be a huge twist…that was all a pump fake and the island is something different and it has nothing to do with control?

As for the war I really think it’s going to be a good old fashioned scuffle for control of the island. Everyone will say they want what’s best for the island but who’s really going to know? It’ll be Ilana, Bram and their people vs Locke, Ben, Richard and the Others… the out of nowhere Rose and Bernard will show up with L. Ron Hubbbard (resurrected) and his Scientology Army and they’ll jump into it and before we even know what happened Kate and Juliet will mud wrestle over Sawyer who will probably get sick of all the drama and finally admit his feelings for Jack and they’ll settle in the caves and raise their eight children before finally settling down and passing away quietly each with a light or dark stone clutched in their hand.

I thought that they had let that slip about Charlotte’s age…so then, if they have admitted to that mistake, once again are we being asked to believe that Jeremy Davies (born 1969) is playing someone born 1977-78? And then, that one of his loves was a good 10+ years older than him? Again, that’s why they should use my line of thinking and the date allowances when you leave the island.

I do think it’s kind of interesting that the war hasn’t been brought up more around here. Or maybe it has and I’ve missed it. (I’m looking forward to a search or category feature so maybe some of the ‘repeat-ish’ posts can die down a bit…but I’m sure I’ve done it plenty myself.)