Tommy spared Manuel's life in Landman episode 6, and there are important reasons for that. Landman Episode 5 saw Manuel, Antonio and their other friends jump Cooper in his trailerleaving the episode on a cliffhanger. Cooper, who helped Ariana with household chores after her husband's death, refused to stay away from her after warnings. Fortunately, the subsequent episode revealed that Cooper was alive, and Landman's The end of episode 6 saw Tommy going after Manuel in revenge.
Billy Bob Thornton plays Tommy Norris in Landman's cast, and if the first six episodes of the series have demonstrated anything, it's that he won't give up on anyone. No matter how tough Manuel seemed, Tommy is tougher and brought his friends along with Sheriff Joeberg to beat up his son's attackers before arresting them.. Tommy makes his threats loud and clear, although it may have come as a shock to some that Manuel made it out alive. There is a calculated reason for this.
Tommy killing Manuel would create bigger problems
A murder is much harder to cover up
Tommy may have the law on his side, as Sheriff Joeberg knows how important the oil company's crisis management executive is to the general well-being of the area. However, there are limits to what it can allow. Cooper's assault was already an ongoing crime that drew attention, and the sheriff wanted to make an arrest to close the case. Making arrests benefits his standing with county authorities and the general public, so it's mutually beneficial for Tommy to do the job for him. If Tommy murdered someone, that would be a bigger problem to deal with.
Killing Manuel would have been a mess, and sending him to prison for about 30 years is a terrible enough punishment.
Without even considering Tommy's other escalating work problems that have brought a lawyer to town, murder isn't as easy to get away with as TV shows (like yellow stone) will make it seem. The sheriff would have a local public relations crisis to deal with, Tommy would have to keep quiet due to the threat of potential retribution from Manuel's friends and family.and several people would have been witnesses of this. Killing Manuel would have been a mess, and sending him to prison for about 30 years is a terrible enough punishment.
Are Cooper and Tommy's problems over now?
The problems with Manuel are over, at least
Manuel seemed to be the core of the group that beat up Cooper, so they shouldn't be a threat in the future. Antonio was left with scars after being beaten by Bossand Sheriff Joeberg could easily deal with the guys on the other team off-screen. At this point, Cooper and Tommy appear to be safe. Tommy still has issues with the company to resolve, but none of them are connected to the situation with Cooper's crew. As for Cooper individually, Tommy seems to think he invites trouble, and so far, that's proven to be true.
Cooper and Ariana's relationship is the next potential problem for him. Now that you have dealt with the external factor, you will need to rely on the internal part. Although they've kept things platonic thus far, Cooper and Ariana undoubtedly have some romantic feelings starting to develop. As Tommy warns, Ariana is in a particularly vulnerable state, and with Cooper being as naive as he often is, this could end up being a pretty explosive combination.. They may be fine for now, but if Taylor Sheridan's TV shows are any indicator, this relationship could take a turn for the worse at any moment.
Tommy still has much bigger worries than Manuel
The cartel will be a problem
Tommy has some huge issues to deal with, and the Manuel incident is just one bump in the constantly challenging path for him. Landman episode 1 saw the explosion of a plane truck that involved cartel merchandise, and episode 5 saw the cartel show up at an oil field demanding compensation for lost product. Tommy, obviously unable to provide what they were looking for, made enough threats to temporarily scare them away, but they will be back soon.
Not to mention, the oil rig explosion at the end of episode 1 leaves Tommy managing a publicity crisis for Monty's company, and he's still $500,000 in debt. With four episodes left in the season, Tommy's problems are still piling up, and although having Manuel arrested is a temporary victory, Landman's the remaining time could see everything else crashing down on him. Monty probably won't be responsible for any of the major crises facing his company, making Tommy the perfect candidate.