Landman Season 2 Finale Recap and Ending Explained

Created by Taylor Sheridan, the second season finale of Paramount+’s ‘Landman‘ begins with Tommy hitting a major roadblock in his career. In the previous episode, Cami unceremoniously fired him in light of his supposed lack of hunger for the field. This blow is further increased by the horrifying experience Ariana is forced to undergo at her workplace, the consequences of which trickle down into this episode, titled ‘Tragedy and Flies.’ Thus, a musical chairs of scheming begins where alliances are dropped and forged in quick succession till the oil landscape is changed forever. At the same time, the bonds of the Norris family are tested, with the eventual picture becoming as unpredictable as the journey has been. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Landman Season 2 Episode 10 Recap

‘Landman’ season 2 finale begins with Tommy still reeling from the news that he has been fired. Nathan and Gale are the first to show support, and while the former resolves to go wherever his boss does, Nathan is perplexed by Cami’s sudden interest in meeting him. Tommy believes that this is because Nathan is next in line to be president, but until he makes the leap, nothing can be confirmed. The subject of succession, however, unlocks an idea in Tommy’s mind, and he realizes that he made the entire deal with Cooper without Cami’s knowledge, meaning that the lease hasn’t exactly left his control just yet. As the gears begin to grind, Tommy realizes that he has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvent himself, come what may.

That morning, Ariana wakes up to examine the full extent of her injuries after the harrowing incident last night. Together with Cooper, she makes the decision to quit her job at The Patch Cafe, but that means stripping her of a substantial amount of independence. That discussion has to wait, however, as the duo has been summoned to the police station. While the officers’ questioning and examination of Ariana is fairly standard, their main target appears to be Cooper. Behind closed doors, they begin interrogating him about whether he used excessive force against the man last night. Outside, Ariana is perplexed about the delays, but things change when she learns that the man who tried to assault her has died of his injuries. With this, it is just a matter of time before the police label Cooper a murderer, and Ariana realizes that she must act, and fast.

Elsewhere, Angela’s brunch with Gallino‘s partner takes a wrong turn when the latter comes as the bearer of bad news: Tommy has just been fired, and he has not shared this with his own partner. This comes as a serious blow to Angela, but when she confronts him on the phone, Tommy hardly gives the matter any attention. As it turns out, Ariana wisely called Rebecca, who, in turn, alerted Tommy and is now personally on her way to the police station. Once there, she immediately takes control of the situation, getting Cooper out of harm’s way and threatening to reopen older cases against the two police officers if they continue to target Cooper. While Cooper is out, for now, it is clear that Rebecca will need more help from up top, and this prompts Tommy to make some more phone calls and set up a meeting with the police chief himself.

Elsewhere, Ainsley’s first day as a TCU proves to be way more challenging than she expected, both physically and mentally. Surprisingly, Paigyn, her ex-roommate, is one of the support staff members and quickly takes notice of the physical strain Ainsley is putting herself through. In a refreshing contrast to the previous episode, the two end up bonding and finding mutual ground in their values and preferences. For Ainsley, this means moving back in with Paigyn, and while Angela isn’t quite pleased, a part of her is happy watching her daughter grow. For Tommy, however, the day continues to nosedive, as one potential partner after another hears his proposal off-screen and then rejects it. In the end, he only has one shot left, and that brings him to none other than his arch-nemesis: Gallino.

Landman Season 2 Ending: Why is Tommy Starting a New Company?

‘Landman’ season 2 ends with Tommy leaving M-Tex behind and constructing a company of his own: CTT Oil Explorations and Cattle. This new and unpredictable venture is a deeply personal one for Tommy, who seemingly ditched his wildcat instincts years ago. Proving that idea wrong, he heads to Gallino’s office, this time to get a better handle on what his nemesis has been up to as of now. Tommy tries to dissuade Gallino from investing in Cami, citing the probabilities of corrosion, sanctions, and sludge that could arise in her current oil project. Moreover, he emphasizes that she is a leader who has never run a company, which increases the risk. In this light, he proposes to Gallino that expanding the contract with Cooper would be a more profitable bargain.

Building a company around one’s father and son, however, isn’t as easy as it sounds, and Tommy realizes that above all, he needs resources. While land is perhaps the most difficult thing to acquire in this competitive realm, Tommy also has basically no savings and consequently has to go around pitching his idea to others. While most of his allies say no, there is only one man who is willing to dabble in the risk, and it is fittingly Gallino. While he already has a lengthy deal with M-Tex in place, it is important to remember that the deal manifested because of his obsession with working with, or actually, taming Tommy. With that idea out of the window, he is left with only one path ahead. When writing the check for millions of dollars, Gallino remarks how the two look alike, and this statement has a more symbolic undertone than a physical one.

Tommy’s promise to Gallino is a complete return of all of his investments, as well as the recoupment of any potential losses, within three years. While an ambitious claim in its own right, it becomes even more so when we realize that Tommy doesn’t have a game plan and must rely on his son’s business instincts. Cooper already has a patch of land to his name due to Gallino’s company, and this creates a circular feedback structure that gives Cooper, Tommy, and, technically, even Thomas, a high level of control. Fittingly, Cooper takes the role of company president, with Tommy becoming the senior vice-president, making Thomas the technical leader. Thomas has physical experience with rigs from before, but in this newly digitized world, he can do most of the same work without moving from his chair, which makes the role perfect.

What Does CTT Mean? Who All Are Joining Tommy’s Company?

The words CTT in Tommy’s new company stand for Cooper-Tommy-Thomas, encompassing three generations of people who have devoted their lives to the oil industry. This is also why the three characters take such leading roles in the company, as it will now be driven by their vision and instincts, with no additional voices interrupting the process. Another thing that stands out about the company name is the inclusion of cattle, and while many characters humorously ask Tommy about it, the replies are always a bit vague. At its core, the word cattle here is only for tax purposes, as Tommy wishes to be viewed by the government as a diversified company to an extent, which in turn will allow him more leeway in the future.

Cooper, Tommy, and Thomas are joined by many of the main cast, many of whom pivot from M-Tex to CTT in a stellar showing of loyalty. However, there is also more at play, as some, like Nathan, are also disillusioned by how Cami is running her company. Accordingly, he finds a home in CTT as the chief operational officer, while Dale becomes the head of the main crew, led by Boss. Ariana also ends up joining hands with the company, as she has freshly quit her job at The Patch Cafe, and is ready to try her hand as office manager for the CTT. The most surprising entry into the company, however, is that of Rebecca, who will likely have to give up on her legal association with M-Tex to start a job at CTT, given the potential conflict of interest. However, her determination to join Tommy in this new venture speaks to the group’s overarching loyalty, through thick and thin.

What Will Happen to Cami and M-Tex?

While Tommy is making great strides in the final moments of season 2, the fate of Cami and her company remains increasingly unsteady, with all signs pointing to its inevitable downfall. The first warning comes from none other than Nathan, shortly after he is offered the presidential position. Here, he reminds Cami that Monty designed the company with short-term interests in mind and that it was never meant to outlive him. Her attempts to run the company anew carry a significant risk, which could easily bankrupt them all, and given that she is still on board with it, the potential of the company going down is at an all-time high. Akin to a self-fulfilling prophecy, the situation is even more urgent now, with Rebecca and Nathan, among others, abandoning the ship for Tommy.

Notably, Tommy, Gallino, and many others’ comments about Cami’s seeming incompetence are oddly reminiscent of how she was treated at the start of the season by a bunch of strangers. From there, her entire arc had been to prove them wrong, as not only someone who could stand in Monty’s shoes, but also surpass them in a way. To that end, it feels surprising for Tommy to give in to the same prejudices about her, even if it is as a negotiation tactic. Despite that, there is a good chance that Cami will prove everyone wrong and strike gold at sea. This, in turn, also adds a unique spin to Gallino’s framing within the narrative, as he might just come out as the biggest benefactor in this war between two friends.

Will Cooper Get Charged With Murder? Is he Free?

Before Cooper can start his journey as the company leader, a big hurdle he must overcome is that of potential murder charges being levied against him. With the man he knocked out in the previous episode now dead, the police believe that his use of violence went beyond justification and now amounts to murder. While we are never explicitly told why they are interested in targeting Cooper, the most likely answer is that it’s the chief, who merely wishes to exert power over the son of an influential man. Tommy, Rebecca, and the town sheriff come to the same conclusions, and with that, Tommy himself storms into the police office demanding answers. Predictably, the police chief extends the smug attitude that has been on display by the entire crew, and Tommy realizes that he will have to strong-arm the best deal out of this situation.

Quickly taking charge of the situation, Tommy reasserts that it is the victim’s position that the jury would most strongly respond to, throwing any case the opposition could muster out of the window. This, coupled with Rebecca’s earlier threats directly targeting the two police officers, is enough for the chief to back down, at least for now. Given that the entire episode has been somewhat of a highlight reel for Tommy’s negotiation and fixing skills, it is fitting that the most important negotiation he makes at the end has his family at its core. However, this also makes him uniquely vulnerable to Gallino, who has openly threatened the well-being of his loved ones in case CTT fails as a company. As such, a lot of Tommy’s life going ahead will be looking behind his shoulders at every turn, with the risk-to-reward ratio being far greater than he could have anticipated.

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