Two Players, two sides. One is light, one is dark by Ricardus Alpert

There's a lot we still don't know about Jacob and His Nemesis, The Man in Black. At this point, all we can do is speculate about their motives and actions. I feel the best way to do that is to analyze the motives and actions of their pawns. I'd like to start by analyzing their recruitment process, using one example- Miles Straume.

I believe that in "Some Like It Hoth", we've seen attempts by both sides to recruit Miles, indicating he has an important role to play in the events to come. So how did each side approach him?

We start off with The Man in Black's attempt to recruit Miles. He was approached by Naomi, who is working for Widmore. Given how I believe Widmore is an agent of MIB, that makes her one of MIB's representatives. Naomi tempts Miles, taking advantage of the "Empty Hole" inside his heart. "From what I understand, Miles, If the price is right, this is exactly your thing." Widmore has done his homework. Naomi appeals to Miles' weakness, his greed. That's very telling, because this is one of the same traits MIB seems to despise in people. MIB tempts people with their weaknesses. He offers them nothing more than satisfaction of their greed, or hunger for power. He uses the images of their deceased loved ones in order to manipulate them to do his bidding. In short, he takes advantage of the "Empty hole" inside their hearts.

Next off, we have Bram's attempt to recruit Miles. Bram and his people initially seemed hostile, as they kidnapped Miles and forced him into the van. Bram has done his homework too. He offers Miles answers, about his gift and about his father. They want him to be ready before he goes to the island, presumably so he could be a better person when he does so.

The way I see it, when Jacob recruits people, he tries to appeal to their better nature. As he believes the best in people, he often offers them a second chance. He is a manipulator and a weaver, but his manipulation is a lot more direct. He offers them a choice, even when he does his best to make sure the choice they make suits his endgame. His people initally appear to be hostile, but are ultimately working for the greater good.