Roll Over and Die

Episode 5

Roll Over and Die continues to surprise me. That's a neutral statement; surprises can be good or bad, and this series spans the entire spectrum in between. However, this week's balance leans in the positive direction, and in fact, it shakes out to be my favorite episode so far. Outside of the opening scene, the narrative focuses on satisfying character beats across all three of our main factions: Flum's team, her old party, and the Demon Chiefs. While this is a transitional chapter of Roll Over and Die, it expands the inner and outer worlds of these characters in compelling (and frequently gay) ways.

However, we certainly cannot ignore the opening scene. I don't like when sexual assault is used as a cheap dramatic fulcrum, and my opinion is no different here. There's almost no buildup beforehand, so all we're left with is the shock factor. And it's not even very shocking. It doesn't come out of left field because the series possesses a trashy edge that is not uncommon in this particular branch of the litRPG genre space, or more generally in the realm of dark fantasy. Lots of series want to capture the transgressive and titillating edge of Berserk as it exists in the public's eye, yet comparatively few of them copy Miura's strong thematic focus on sexual trauma, healing, and female agency.

With all of that being said, I also don't hate how Roll Over and Die handles this scene or its aftermath. The adaptation cuts tastefully around Milkit, so it never feels like her body is on display for the audience. That's the bare minimum I expect. The scene instead orients itself around Flum's incandescent rage. While the production (per usual) is not very artful about it, it balances the discomforting tone with Flum's air of righteousness. Sara, an acolyte of the Church, argues for mercy towards Dein's lackeys, but her expression betrays her uncertainty. In fact, the weakness of her counterargument, made even weaker by the bandit's counterattack, points to the narrative's vindication of Flum's anger and violence.

I'm glad Roll Over and Die lets Flum have this. The politics here are appreciably different with a female protagonist than with a male. If Flum were a man, then this deadly retribution would be another example of female peril invoked solely to further a male hero's pain and development. As this scene exists, Flum, while driven by her intense love for Milkit, also shares in Milkit's peril to an extent. She sees two bandits who, if given the chance, would have attempted the same on her. She's already been objectified and commodified, stripped of her status due to her perceived weakness, and sold into slavery by one man to another man. Flum is “trash.” Milkit is “dirty.” They are queer women whom society ignores at best and “rehabilitates” at worst. Bereft of the institutional support and justice afforded to those who conform to patriarchal values, Flum heroically takes matters into her own bloody hands.

Am I reading way too much into this scene? Probably! I'd be skeptical if Roll Over and Die had any larger thematic ambitions here besides gender-based metacommentary on its genre, achieved by allowing Flum the same feelings and actions as male heroes. And if I am meant to be pontificating about misogyny and lesbophobia, then the writing needs to be more explicit. I will defend subtext until I draw my dying breath, but audiences—especially queer ones—deserve more stories that openly grapple with their struggles. Still, I like our denouement. Flum puts away her weapon, casts aside her blood-stained gauntlets, and wraps her arms gently around Milkit. She hasn't been corrupted or tainted by her violence. She can compartmentalize it and put it away when it comes time to comfort her partner.

Unfortunately, Milkit's damage extends far beyond this attempted assault. In response to Flum's heartfelt concern, she can only apologize and unperson herself. This is the limit to Flum's gallantry. In an image that echoes Utena's attempt to pull Anthy out of her coffin, Flum tries to pull Milkit's hand across that cosmic barrier, only for Milkit to let go, resigning herself as unworthy of a savior. Later in the episode, we catch a glimpse of Milkit's past master berating her with cruel words that Milkit repeats in the present. Her surface injuries are just that, and Flum can't heal her with herbs alone. This is precisely what I want out of their relationship—two “cursed” women doing the difficult work of undoing the harm others inflicted on them.

Elsewhere, I like the juxtaposition of Jean's party with the Demon Chiefs. The heroes are in complete disarray, bickering over small mistakes, talking behind the others' backs, and running off to their own hideouts. The Demons, on the other hand, enjoy a pleasant meal and discuss strategy amidst friendly banter. The fanciness of their food emphasizes their sophistication and contrasts with the shoddy cooking the heroes have to put up with in Flum's absence. I also love the sideways glance Tsyon gives Neigass when she is lost in reverie about the underage nun she's crushing on. I had not realized Sara was that much younger than Flum, so while I must dial back my professional enthusiasm for Neigass' infatuation, I also cannot in good faith single out Roll Over and Die for this problematic transgression. It comes with the trashy territory.

The rest of the episode is pleasant. Sara buries the bandits to assuage her guilt, but she continues to reexamine her priors (and her overall relationship with the Church, given last week's revelations). Leitch receives the flowers and rewards the girls. The lovably stereotypical reporter Welcy Mancathy (what a name) reveals more of the Church's corruption behind the scenes. And Flum finally tells Eterna her side of the story, adding another to her growing group of allies. Obviously, the show invokes some clumsy narrative convenience by putting up Flum and Milkit in the same house that Eterna happens to be squatting in, but I think the emotional payoff is worth it, albeit abbreviated by the episode's runtime.

I still don't know if I'd call Roll Over and Die “good” without adding a bunch of qualifiers, and this week's opening scene adds several more to that list. However, I am also more confident than ever that the story might know what it is doing. Here's one small yet important detail I liked quite a bit. After the bandits tear Milkit's maid uniform, Flum (and I presume it was her, given the array of domestic skills she honed on her prior journey) sews it back together. While we can see the stitches on the back, she decorates the front with cute animal patches to distract from the repair job. That's a really sweet gesture. It might look out of place, but consider Flum's intentions. Rather than see a reminder of that night when she looks in a mirror, Milkit will instead see a reminder of Flum's thoughtfulness. That's another small step towards Milkit loving herself.

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Roll Over and Die is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Sylvia is on Bluesky for all of your posting needs. You are not allowed to ask her to roll over. You can also catch her chatting about trash and treasure alike on This Week in Anime.