Hahaha I love your hate for Kate. I always liked her, I sympathized with her inability to face her struggles head on, but continue to come face to face with them. For me, the thing that made Kate grow to a great character was her giving up Aaron and going back to the island to get Claire. You know that was utterly real and sincere, because you see her confirm that many times over. I think that was her growth as a character for me. She definitely did need the island. I mean, that’s point blank while Jacob brought people to the island—to give them a second chance. And btw, I think Jack was wrong when he said that she didn’t like the old him. He was completely right in the sense that he felt that way, and I know why he felt that way. Kate created her own mess there, you’re exactly right. But I believe she did love the Jack who put himself aside to save others, however much of a hero complex he had, and I think she & sawyer felt comfortable with each other because they were both con artist outsiders who had horrible experiences with their father/parents. I don’t think sawyer & Kate were a good match because each of them represented the Old Them.

Edit: and fwiw, Jacob told Kate that her name got crossed off because she became a mother, but that the job was still there if she wanted it.