What does the coyote mean in Landman Season 1 finale? Details explored 

Taylor Sheridan's Landman finally reached its Season 1 conclusion on Paramount+, with Jon Hamm's Monty dying and Billy Bob Thornton's Tommy as the new director of M-Tex after him.

While the finale was filled with many twists and turns, one being Tommy striking a deal with Gallino, a new cartel leader, the coyote from the show's penultimate episode again makes an appearance in the finale.

The coyote Tommy sees in Landman Episode 9 dies after his neighbor shoots it, hinting at Tommy's future and his similar fate if he continues to meddle in with the cartel's business for his company.

In the finale, he actually advises the animal to run and save himself, hinting at Tommy's future for Season 2. After almost getting killed by the cartel, does his future hold any hope? More on the coyote symbolism in the Landman finale in our story.

*Disclaimer- This article is based on the author's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.*

What does the coyote mean in the Landman season finale according to Billy Bob Thornton?

With a stellar cast finishing off the Landman Season 1 finale in style, there was also a special guest appearance in the show's penultimate and final episodes- that of a wild coyote, which Tommy sees from his house's window.

In Episode 9, as Tommy sees the wild animal, his neighbor shoots and kills it. The Landman again sees a coyote in the show's finale, and this time, he warns it to run, as it might get shot if he stays.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Thornton opens up about the coyote interpretation in the Landman finale:

''I think Tommy looks at that coyote and at the end, it’s like, “Here they come. They are coming for me.” Or, “Ae they coming for me? Am I the coyote, am I looking myself in the eye? Am I this lone wolf out here, just running across these plains trying to keep from getting killed? Or is the coyote the cartel?”

He added:

''I think it’s a very symbolic moment of Tommy trying to figure out who he is here. And I think he’s kind of staring himself, and possibly death, in the eye.''

Exploring the coyote symbolism in the Landman Season 1 finale

Deducing from the finale and Thornton's remarks, it is clear that the coyote has a deep meaning and symbolism in the Landman finale. In the penultimate episode, Tommy has not yet learned that Monty is dead, and he will have to step up as M-Tex's director.

Taking this job would have serious repercussions and threats to his family life. Therefore, Tommy seeing a coyote getting killed is a mirror of his own future if he continues this high-risk job. While the animal is fierce and wild, like Tommy on his job, he still gets killed by his neighbor, which symbolizes that Tommy's fate is inevitable (like Monty's) if he continues in M-Tex.

The second coyote scene, in the finale, is symbolic of Tommy realizing that the coyote is him and warning him- “You’d better run, buddy, they kill coyotes around here.” The statement made by Tommy here is largely for himself because it comes the morning after he was tortured by the cartel and stuck a deal with Gallino, the cartel leader.

Tommy realizes that it is dangerous out here and he should also run; like his advice for the wild coyote, but it is unlikely that he will follow his advice because he owes this to Monty and his family.

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