Ben, meet Ben
Assuming Ben is on the island with Jack, Kate and Hurley, he would seem to be in a position to meet his young self. If he does, he could perhaps tell him a few facts about the future and most importantly tell him that he is still alive at a certain age. Armed with this knowledge, Ben’s actions and personality seem more reasonable. Ben “always has a plan” and always seems calm in the face of death and uncertainty. A hole in my theory would obviously be that he would try and stop Alex’s death, even if he knows it is impossible to change.
Perhaps that’s what Ben meant when he said Charles had changed the rules.
Maybe, the Ben we all know and love, had met himself when he was younger and was told that Alex was still alive.
Now, he doesn’t expect Keamy to kill her because as far he knows, she doesn’t die.
Then all of a sudden she is changed, and as far as Ben is concerned, the rules have been changed because she wasn’t supposed to die.
she is dead**
I was thinking that Ben changed the rules on Charles when he goes back in time upon return to the island…hence Charles rebuttal.
he said he changed the rules, not broke the rules, if i remember correctly. so are people capable of changing the rules of quantum physics? or are these rules set up by people in order to try and prevent paradoxes, etc. ?