LAST EDITED ON 02-10-10 AT 10:43 PM (EST)Dogen said that Sayid was "claimed" by a dark force. I understood it to mean possessed and the torture he conducted looked like an exorcism. Now, we know that Ben went into those springs after being shot by Sayid so Ben must also have been claimed. Richard accepted Locke so I assume Dogen did also and that Ben wasn't claimed by the "dark force".
"Ben is still himself."
Well, according to Richard, Ben was going to be changed forever when Kate asked for his salvation.
Locke also almost died but, instead of the springs, Walt appeared to him. Maybe there are other ways to claim someone.
I remember that Ben had his own soldiers like the big guy that Sawyer killed. I remember Ben giving them direct orders. Those were the ones he brought to the island. At the same time, (Jack was bringing the Losties to the communications tower) Richard was in the camp and he had people around him that weren't under Ben's command. I took those as the "True" Others. Didn't Richard even tell Ben that it wasn't "our fight"?