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Talking about whether the Pope is "first among equals", "leader" or what have you is really just semantics, titles. The meat of the matter is what the Pope being the leader entails. And like you said, there are issues of how proclamations are issued, collegiality, Papal Infallibility, etc. And the Church isn't just going to declare Papal Infallibility null and void, or just some big mistake.

Fifty years ago no one would have believed you if you said there was even a need, let alone possibility, of the Roman Catholic Church undergoing a major change. But the fact is that the Vatican II did occur and changed everything, including doctrine.

Today most of the people don't remember the pre-Vatican II Church. Soon it will be oblivion, with only a handful of scholastics who will know it in greater detail. To an average Roman Catholic, the Church they grow up with will be the Church that always was as far as they are concerned.

What or where will the Church be in 100 years is known only to God. As to who will bend and why will be determined by politics as much as theology, as it always has.