Locke is my favourite character and I believe I really understand him. As Lesley said, people like Hume think that free-will is compatible with determination (this concept is part of the Christian Catholic belief, for example). So does Locke: I think he’s aware of a sort of good destiny that surrounds him, and for this reason he pays the greatest attention to the signs that reality offers to him and that guide him through the path (he’s the hunter). He’s able to sense if what’s happening is part of that destiny (what is good or evil, what is coherent to his heart/desire or not), so he takes decisions even totally different from the other people, decisions that are perceived as totally FREE and a bit weird.
In other words, I think he’s FREE to follow his good destiny. He is not a GOD – free to do whatever he wants – he is a free man that knows that there’s a good destiny planned for everyone and everyone can freely choose to follow it.
So when he lost his faith, he lost everything: not pushing the button almost led to the island’s destruction (and maybe his life??). But that could have been another sign, to let him follow his destiny again.
From this point of view, Locke is really a religious hero.

Just for that, I believe that Locke is somehow useful for the others. They might want Locke to think that his desired destiny coincide with their ultimate goal, and try to manipulate him in the future. Some signs like the inexplicable recover of his legs and his feeling so oddly comfortable on the island could be good ways to ‘break’ him.

and btw, what’s with the disses on stephen king and his low-brow lit? if the writers of the show rip a bunch of stuff off of stephen king, and two of their characters (at least) think king’s not up to literary par, are we supposed to think those two characters are too haughty for their own good, and the rest of us should reside with juliet and her favoritism for king?

Glad you like the site David! An anchor link sounds like a good idea, I’ll add one asap. Thanks!

Go back and watch “Maternity Leave” from Season 2. Locke gives Benry (locked up in the armory of the Swan) a copy of “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. “I thought you might like something to read,” says Locke. Benry replies, “You don’t have any Stephen King?”