Interesting
I see where you're coming from and it could be argued that if the island gives him back the freewill to kill himself, then it's a form of redemption in that he presumably did what he was 'supposed' to do for the island.
Although i guess it depends on our intepretation of redemption. For me killing yourself (assuming Mike - if it's Mike in the coffin, does indeed commit suicide) isn't redemption. For me, redemption is making up for past mistakes and leaving ones fate down to God or the island, or the Universe, or whatever force governs fate in the realm of Lost).
But yes, I think that 'purpose' would fit better than 'redemption' if we're talking about Michael
playing his role and being rewarded for it by being given his freewill back.
Yeah, I've been mulling that over the past few days/weeks - that returning to the island is all-important for bearded Jack and co because it's the only way to get their freewill back (as you say). I think this latest episode (4.08) certainly rammed that home and in retrospect some of the previous episodes also seem to intimate the same premise
