The beginning caught me:

“Dr. Jack Shephard smiling beside him. Jack informs the groggy Locke that he might be a “candidate” (hold for dramatic pause) for a new type of surgical procedure to help him walk again”

Is this scene almost identical to the battle of wits between Jacob and MIB?

Jacob being Jack and MIB being Locke. Jacob is trying to convince MIB of man’s goodness, ability to change. MIB convinced of their darkness, their corruptability.

Jack’s discussion with Locke is metaphorically identical to the MIB/Jacob ones. Come on, let go Locke, we can fix things, we can make it better. Locke – ” Waaaahh, NO! Life sucks and I just want to crawl inside my bed and just die of this sadness. Cant let any happiness in because life is one bad-ass dark, cynical bitch!!”. And he rejects the chance to change his life dramatically for the better.

Anyway thought it was clever.