The Cheappop.com has a great interview with Michael Emerson, Ben, of Lost. The interview was given before the Season 4 finale. An excerpt:
What do you make of the relationship with Ben and Locke? I mean this season there’s almost a sibling rivalry thing going on.
I know that’s been funny in the last few episodes. When Locke, Ben and Hurley have been trekking around in the jungle, they’ve been bickering like brothers or roommates haven’t they? It’s been a nice note of humor I think and sort of a softening of the edges of Ben Linus, too. I mean obviously they’re locked in kind of a competition. I think it’s for a sense of control of the island or a sense of being the anointed one or the chosen one to lead, and Ben seems to have lost that battle. It’s now sort of John Locke’s island.
(Thanks to Kali!)