Landman Season 2, Episode 3 Ending Explained

As if things weren’t already stressful enough for Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), Landman season 2, episode 3 gave him a host of new problems to deal with. After Landman season 2, episode 2 dove deeper into Tommy’s broken childhood and family, episode 3 returned its attention to his modern-day professional problems. M-Tex is in even worse shape than Tommy thought, and Cooper is in more trouble than he realizes. But, not everything in Landman season 2, episode 3 was bad news for Tommy. Ariana got a new job, Tommy made some progress in solving M-Tex’s problems even as they continue getting worse, and he may be getting officially remarried to Angela after years of being divorced. A lot happened in this week’s episode of Landman, and there are some points that could use a bit of clarification.

How M-Tex Has No Money Left In Landman Season 2 Explained

One of the most important revelations of Landman season 2, episode 3 is that M-Tex has no money on hand. Cami, Tommy, Neil, and Rebecca are all scrambling to scrape together funds to rebuild the offshore natural gas rig that was destroyed by a hurricane, but they can’t find the $420 million insurance settlement that was paid out to Monty. In fact, Monty hid all of M-Tex’s money before he died, and no one can seem to locate it. Monty’s money is hidden through several layers of complicated financial elements, but Landman still gave us a serviceable understanding of where it all is. Basically, Monty was playing very fast and loose with his money, and it’s so tied up in his shady dealings that M-Tex is entirely cash-poor. Monty hid all of M-Tex’s money in his personal accounts and paid for everything from payroll to operating expenses off lines of credit, likely to limit how much he had to pay in corporate taxes. At this point, it’s not even clear if Monty still had all the money M-Tex was supposed to have. Alan will probably be able to get some of Monty’s money back to Cami, now that he’s been properly motivated by Tommy breaking a bottle over his head, but probably not the full $420 million. Even if he can, though, M-Tex needs that money now to rebuild the gas rig and avoid a lawsuit from the insurance company. Essentially, the entire company is in jeopardy thanks to Monty’s questionable business and financial practices.

Gallino’s Alter Ego & Plan For Tommy & Cooper Explained

Landman season 2, episode 3 also revealed more about Andy Garcia’s Gallino, including his alter ego. As we now know, Gallino primarily goes by the name Dan Morrell. Dan is the head of Sonrisa, the financial institution that bankrolled Cooper’s oil sites, and he views his ties to the cartel as an “investment.” He also has a wife, Bella, and is presumably originally from Cuba. As for Gallino/Dan’s plans, we also have a better idea of what he’s playing at. As Dan told Tommy, Sonrisa bankrolled Cooper’s oil sites for two main reasons: to get Tommy and Cooper on his side and because he legitimately believes in it. Gallino mentioned that the too-good-to-be-true terms of Cooper’s contract were a gift to Tommy after he was nearly killed by Jimenez at the end of Landman season 1. More interestingly, Gallino also made it seem like he truly believes in Cooper’s strategy. He described the strategy of buying up “played out” wells and digging deeper as a “blindspot in the industry” that Cooper was smart enough to take advantage of, and he mentioned that his deal was fair and profitable for both him and Tommy. If we really believe that Gallino is an investor, it’s possible that he invested in Cooper at least partially because he truly believes Cooper could get him a return on his investment.

The H2S Gas Leak In Landman Season 2 Explained

One of the more surprising moments in Landman season 2, episode 3 was the H2S gas leak, and it’s also a moment that needs the most explanation. H2S is the chemical formula for hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic gas that can be released around oil fields, drills, and wells. It smells like rotten eggs, and if breathed in high concentrations, hydrogen sulfide can cause breathing problems, nausea, organ damage, and death (via OSHA). The tank Dale and Boss went to repair in Landman season 2, episode 3 was leaking H2S gas for some reason, and the effects were plain to see. Several hunters died after inhaling it, and several of M-Tex’s workers were seriously injured by the gas. This H2S leak is a huge problem for M-Tex that has already resulted in injury and death. The company will likely have to pay millions in wrongful death settlements and repair costs on the tanker, which only adds to the financial and legal concerns Tommy and Cami are facing.

Are Tommy & Angela Getting Married?

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Another somewhat surprising development in the new episode concerned Tommy and Angela. After meeting with Gallino and Bella, on the way home, Angela asked Tommy if he wanted to get married and he (matter of factly) proposed to her. The situation is somewhat complicated, though. Angela and Tommy are technically divorced, but they’ve been living together since Landman season 1. The short answer is that it seems like Tommy and Angela are, in fact, getting married in Landman season 2. A wedding is exactly the type of thing Angela would demand out of Tommy, and they do need to be formally married again after their divorce. Cami’s speech about learning to love someone more as you get to know them also seemed to strike a chord with both Tommy and Angela, and it seems like their hostile relationship has really turned a corner.

Why Is Ariana Working At The Patch Cafe In Landman Season 2?

Emerson Miller / Paramount+

The first confusing moment of Landman season 2, episode 3 concerned Ariana. As we saw, Ariana applied to and got a job as a bartender at the Patch Cafe. However, we also know that Ariana received a huge settlement from M-Tex after Elvio’s death, and if she needed money, she could have simply stayed with Cooper while his oil wells made huge profits instead of kicking him out of her house. So, it’s a bit of a wonder she would put up with a hostile work environment at the Patch. There are a few simple reasons Ariana took the bartending job. She broke up with Cooper because she doesn’t care about money, but she still needs an income to support herself and her child. Since she doesn’t have any professional experience, an entry-level service job at the Patch is the best she could hope for. Ariana also likely wants some independence and normalcy after everything that happened with Elvio and Cooper, and an honest day’s work is perfect to give her exactly that.