I too am confused as to who the Hatian is. I think that Richard has a different role in the cycle, one unlike that of John or Ben. Ben was just a filler until John was ready. John's finally ready now so the island no longer needs Ben. I go back to the Dali Lama Panchen Lama story. I think Richard is the Panchen and saw both Ben and John as possible reincarnates of their Dali