˳ IN BETWEEN HER THIGHS ﹏ an account dedicated to Bradley O'Keefe 𓏴𓏴 and HERO from TEETH the musical
i feel like there's plenty wrong with me , virgin or not.
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ❛ I feel him underneath my skin,
⠀ ⠀ he's there behind my eyes — ❜
i ﹒﹒ irregular && inconsistent posting ࿐ i don't really comply to canon dat much when it comes to hcs ﹏ (unless i'm actually trying to analyze the musical)
ii ﹒﹒ please don't sexualize Brad here !! i know how stupid this may sound knowing what TEETH is but it's just a personal boundary
iii ﹒﹒ asks and dms are always open, just don't be a dick (get it?)
i also made the TEETH archive google doc so if u ever want it just dm me!!
@ ﹒ WHO IS HERO ? ╲ old intro
︶ ︶⠀ ⠀ 𓏼⠀ also check out: ⠀ ⠀
@occasional-dawn . ◌ ﹏ dawn account ! my dawn co-star in the upcoming teeth the musical movie! (/j)
@teethpilled ⑅ ﹏ feebee. THE teeth blog in the world!
I will be reiterating all my previous points from the last post but also try to go into more depth—as it's much easier because he's confirmed to be an actual character now!
Be wary I might lose the line of interpretation and canon, though I'll try my best to compile what's hinted. As always, feel free to share your own interpretations!
୨୧ Who is HERO ?
Sex is one of the most defining factors in TEETH, whether it'd be sex in the context of intercourse or biologically—it'll still hold significance in the musical's themes and message.
The plot alone displays that Dentata, a Goddess that existed before Genesis represents females or the feminocrats as an entirety. She naturally needs a patriarchal counterpart, which they decided on the "hero"—a character always consistent throughout the different variations of the Vagina Dentata myth.
A hero is described to be a masculine figure whose goal is to deteeth those who possess it as a way to make the woman pure again. Within the musical, his concept (and an introduction to his character) was shown in According to the Wiki. He is described as a he who can break the teeth with his cock, a man of purity with courage and nobility. At the final version of the song, he also describes himself as a patriarchal leader.
In short, HERO is Brad's masculinity that possesses him somewhere along the story. He acts as the actual main villain (or antagonist being the better term), being the embodiment of the patriarchy and all that. My favorite way to word this is using the analogy: Dentata is Dawn's vagina and HERO is Brad's cock.
୨୧ Implications / Introduction in the musical
The fandom (discord server) already foresaw HERO before the book release and the book conference that confirmed his character, the original HERO breakdown post was months before both of these! So how was his identity concluded? By looking through the lines of the two different productions, it's clear that he exists one way or another. Also because in the Genius pages of Dentata it was said that Brad's name was changed to HERO in the script despite the script not being released so theories happened…
His presence and implication throughout the story differs from each production, TEETH is known to still be in development until its closing night on New World Stages—opening to lots of versions on how he can be presented.
Playwrights Horizon:
There's not exactly a Playwrights Horizon version of the script, so I'm not sure if the HERO name change occured but one thing I'm certain is that he was hinted to exist. The first instance was before A Real Man where Brad was opening up to the Truthseekers about his sexuality issues, then eventually being peer pressured into touching himself.
This is only in one recording I know of (the most well known/shared around version of Playwrights), but it goes as:
Where is HE underneath your skin?
HE's there behind your eyes
Release HIM from captivity
And let your WARRIOR rise
Fear not the thorns of womanhood
Cuz' you've got a big surprise
And it's hanging right there in between your thighs
Compared to how it usually goes, which is:
Who is she underneath her skin?
What lurks behind her eyes?
Where are her fangs and tentacles?
When will her dark moon rise?
She hides behind virginity,
It's just a cheap disguise
Cuz' the truth is hidden in between her thighs
They don't ask who or what HERO is, because they know what he is. The question they ask is about where exactly is Brad's masculinity, which they answer at the end. Further justifying the analogy provided earlier! Between Her Thighs is a song about Dentata, so in a way this reprise is a direct parallel to HERO.
In this version, Brad got possessed a bit later—providing a smaller timeframe on showing HERO's character. The reprise of Between Her Thighs in the song Dentata is Brad's response to the Truthseekers, an active representation of him being possessed by HERO. Before this was the last time he got referred to as his identity, Brad—Bill O'Keefe's son.
I feel him underneath my skin
He's there behind my eyes
He fears no thorns of womanhood
He's got a big surprise!
New World Stages:
This production is when HERO was confirmed and turned to his own character instead of a hinted being. This was to make him into a counterpart of Dentata, who was also turned into a completely different character to Dawn. They removed the reprise of Between Her Thighs, I think it's because of the fact that HERO isn't speculated anymore but rather fully fleshed out and confirmed.
The released script (PDF version available in the TEETH archive for those who wanna see) actively changes Brad's name or character into HERO, referring to it as Brad transforming into HERO in According To The Wiki. They added this one line that directly shows it.
I will defeat Dentata and her army
With iron fists, brass balls and a cock of STEELUH
Because I AM HEROO!
This is direct confirmation that Brad was possessed during the events of ATTW, much earlier compared to the original production. There's a significant difference between the phrasing of "I am the hero", "I am a hero" and "I am HERO". It's used as a proper noun, a name instead of the typical term hero.
A few other changes were done in favor of turning HERO into an actual character, this includes the line change immediately after. Though I'll focus more on the lines that show his existence, particularly the ones during the song Dentata.
Your son is dead, I killed him. There is only HERO now.
Further highlighting that this isn't Bradley anymore, just his body being used as some sort of vessel.
୨୧ Characterization
HERO is everything you'd expect from the embodiment of man. It's hard to characterize a character that you only know exists if you look through the script. But the few lyrics and endings show who he is.
As a patriarchal leader, he's arrogant. After his possession (or unsheathing within?) Brad his modified ATTW lyrics follow:
Album/Playwrights (Brad Version): Yes she could dismember me, but the win is worth the risk so we have to try.
NWS (HERO Version): With this dick I'll conquer her, we will end the feminocracy our victory is nigh!
Showing off a significant difference between their characters. HERO particularly being overconfident, I personally see this because it's always been like that since the beginning of time. The man always comes out on top (unfortunately for HERO, not this time).
HERO is self-centered and preserving, only caring about his well-being and seeing others (including his subordinates) as lower entities. This is provided with the way he treats the Patriarchs after his snippet in Dentata—similar to a way you'd treat dogs. Telling them to come to him and to sniff the air to bring Dentata to him—and the Patriarchs still do it without question.
Adding onto this, he never cared about the Patriarchs or "the fall of man", as revealed in one of the endings. His main goal was to simply be the last man standing, to prove himself of being a god. I see this as some sort of thing where males lack the connection females have with each other? In a sense?
"Seek the truth and be free" is said to be some sort of message to submit to HERO, I'm not entirely sure how to word this but it goes as...
DENTATA: Seek the truth and be free, to do what Truthseeker? Obey you. Don't try to act like some kind of saint with me.
୨୧ How to differentiate HERO and Bradley?
Contrary to Dawn and Dentata, whose possession happens strictly in the song Dentata, HERO and Brad have a complicated unsheathing/possession timeline. The most common difference is Brad and HERO is their outfits.
Brad's usual outfit and the "TRUTHSEEKER" uniform
In NWS, HERO is there in the middle of ATTW. HERO always wears the Truthseeker uniform.
The general consensus (I think) is that in NWS, anything after the "I AM HERO" part in ATTW while in Playwrights it's anything after Brad's part in Dentata.
TL;DR - HERO is Brad's masculinity that was made as a counterpart for Brad's Dentata. He's a representation of all mankind, resulting to a character full of arrogance and self-centeredness.
Ly Notes: LONG OVERDUE post, I made this like 2 weeks ago and it's been almost 2 months since his character was technically confirmed... Yes the last one was all speculation HAHAHA but this one should be more accurate! And if not it's because I crammed this at midnight. (˶˃𐃷˂˶)
putting on headset....𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖
hello! welcome to teethseekr
I've gotten really into teeth so I made a fanblog cause I want an outlet for my thoughts and headcannons. If we couldn't tell my favorite is brad (who could of guessed really) If you want you can check out my main blog @grav33yard I rarely post stuff other than fics there though...
More coming soon!
FOLLOW THESE COOL PEOPLE!
@hourly-brad - so cool posts all about brad and...I love brad ( ¬ᴗ¬) + @lyrvr who runs the account THANK U. U SO GREAT YAY
@teethpilled - the only teeth blog ever ˆᵕˆ + @mang0chees3 (runs teethpilled) who gave me the slime tutorial so I could actually be here LMAO
@occasional-dawn - posts mainly about dawn, also very very cool (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)
@zlily19 - makes some of the cutest teeth art ever (˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥)
warning! this post will contain mentions and discussions of sexual abuse, cocsa, sexual exploitation, and related subjects. all of these are matters brought up/implied in teeth, but proceed with caution.
Brad: "So [Dawn and I] both took our swimsuits down... and I was scared to let touch mine down there, so I told her she had to let me touch hers down there first..." (page 23).
Dawn: "So I asked [Brad] if I could touch it, but I was scared to touch it too, so when he asked me if he could touch me first, I said okay" (page 104).
Very early in the show, we learn about this event. We see it first through Brad's view, and it's clear that regardless of how it manifests, he is deeply disturbed by the event, even saying that he "used to feel the pain in [his] finger whenever Dawn came near", but was able to "suppress" it.
Brad is reclusive, easy to anger, and is averse to touch, Dawn's specifically.
Brad shrinks from her touch and exits, disgusted (page 20).
@hourly-brad made a post about how Brad displays signs of sexual trauma, which I deeply recommend.
The last thing I'll note about Brad right now, is the scene in the Playwright Horizons run before A Real Man. Godfather is describing a sexual act between a man and a woman, and Brad is unable to listen to him, and gets upset.
Brad: "I can't! I can't, I can't!"
When him and the Truthseekers move to a more private space, he asks "How could I let Dawn do this to me?"
There's something to be said about this scene and its version in the New World Stages run, especially in how the Truthseekers and Godfather pressure Brad into sexual acts that he isn't comfortable with.
After A Real Man, the shows stage directions read,
Pastor stands, exhausted from beating Brad, almost as if in a sexual afterglow. Brad lies shaking on the floor (page 46).
This is not to say that Pastor was sexually abusing Brad, but the imagery and symbolism is very present, and I doubt that it was unintentional.
My next point is Ryan.
Born Again contains the lyrics,
"I just can't resist getting naked with the cam'ras rolling
"And posting my ass for strangers on the internet"
Later, during Dentata,
Dentata: "Stick it in me, big boy."
Ryan: "I can't believe that used to be my line" (page 116).
If Dawn is sixteen and Brad seventeen, Ryan is likely in the same age range as them. If this is the case, his lyrics in Born Again would imply that he was exploitated as a minor, and that content is available on the internet.
He says that he's made porn in the past, and that's likely material that's available online, and he can't undo it. Later, he records him and Dawn in a sexual position as well. He rationalizes that decision, and even expects Dawn to thank him. This is behavior that is normal to him, and behavior that he repeats to Dawn later.
Lastly, Dawn. Oh, Dawn.
There isn't a man in this show who doesn't assault Dawn, or who respects her, or who sees her as a whole human being. Let's go through that.
From the start of the show, Brad hates Dawn. He's physically violent with her, often grabbing her or throwing her around during their interactions. Verbally, he's cruel, pushing her away and attempting to upset her. By the end of the show, he's reduced her to "a vaginal black that's just a body with no soul".
Tobey is introduced as a kind and respectful boyfriend. But he disrespects Dawn during When She Gave Birth, and doesn't respect her when she tells him to stop, or when she expresses hesitation toward what they're doing. Even when she's saying, "I feel like I'm gonna pass out", he doesn't stop. She outright says, "stop", he doesn't listen. She says that he's hurting her, he doesn't listen.
In Playwright Horizons, after Teeth, we see Dawn and Ryan talking. She's hyperventilating, unable to form complete sentences coherently, is incredibly upset by what's happened. She says,
Dawn: "It didn't feel right, and I didn't know how to tell him to- but then I told him to stop-"
A few moments later,
Ryan: It sounds like... it sounds like Tobey raped you.
Dawn: It wasn't rape, Ryan, he was my husband. I'm the guilty one.
Dawn doesn't identify the situation as what it was- assault. Whether this is because she doesn't have the words to process it as that, or because she doesn't want to believe that that's what it was, she blames herself for what happened.
Purity culture is a big theme during the show, and purity culture often teaches women that it's their responsibility to look out for men, it's their responsibility to be pure. If they tempt a man, it's their fault. Dawn is displaying the results of that belief here.
Even in the New World Stages run, where the line has been softened- "Okay. Yes. But even if that's true..." Dawn is still resistant to consider what happened rape. She allows the possibility, but doesn't seem to agree with how Ryan sees it.
I don't think that Pastor is sexually abusing Dawn, but when Brad says that Pastor is just trying to protect Dawn so he can get in her pants, I don't think he's incorrect. I made a post about that, which can be read here. Pastor does not see Dawn as a person, rather as someone to be idolized and seen as perfect. The opposite of Kim.
After Brad is kicked out of their house, Dawn makes her way to Doctor Godfrey's. There, she uses Amy Sue's name, showing that she's still struggling with the shame in her body, unable to use her own name in relation to what's happened to her. Like the other men in the show, Doctor Godfrey violates her, and pays by losing an arm. Ryan calls this a violation, and tells Dawn that the teeth were protecting her.
Last thing I'll say in this section is about Ryan- I've talked about him in the section above, but it is important to note that during I'm Your Guy, Dawn is genuinely enjoying herself. This is an experience that she is enjoying and gaining pleasure from. An interesting difference from Brad- in Playwrights, he doesn't seem to think that he can gain pleasure from sex after what happened with Dawn, but Dawn is able to still experience pleasure after she's experienced it in (what she believes to be) a safe environment.
Last thing is that the word "rape" is used specifically to describe what happens to men during Dentata. Pastor, Patriarch #1, and Patriarch #2 are described as being raped. Dentata isn't above committing sexual violence of her own.
Dentata's possession of Dawn and HERO's possession of Brad can also be seen as similar to sexual abuse, or as similar narratively to what they've been through. Dawn and Brad have had control over their bodies taken away before, and by the end of the show, they have been taken over by entities beyond their control. The final act of violation done to them, their bodies forcefully taken away and used to continue the cycle.
1 - HERO's character is now technically confirmed to be a separate thing from Brad (Amen)
2 - TEETH the Musical Movie is in development.
Thank you Dentata this is a significant amazing teethering year!
Additionally, not Brad related- Alyse also performs both Dawn songs again!! I missed her AND Dawn a lot!!
Brad is a bad person and a part of the patriarchy who hurt Dawn and it's okay to accept that as a part of his character
Idk how to word it but! It's fine to hate/dislike him because he's still terrible. I do see where he is coming from of course (as the biggest Brad defender ever) but theres just some actions of his that u cannot defend and I don't think people see it frequently because of how pitiful he is LOL.
I already told Magnus this but I think more people need to be informed of the new trend in the #TEETH FANDOM
HEROsonas/Dentatasonas. (or ocs!)
We all know that they're deities who existed before Genesis and exists until today, so why not create more vessels of them that existed B.D. (before Dawn). Giving them reasons why they were possessed by the deity and why the deity eventually abandoned their body for a new vessel.... New lore and stuff like that... #THINK ABOUT IT! We need more TEETH OCs anyways
That one line of Brad saying "Fuck, this actually does feel kind of good." I'd just remove it entirely. In my copy of the script I have it blurred for good reason!
SURE I know that like he can still experience sexuality but it just rubs me the wrong way especially if the original version had him having entire dialogues on how he's genuinely so traumatized from his experience that he became sexually repulsed. Sure we can see the line as something sad because he was being groomed into doing it but it's also just. Idk I have a heart for playwright Brad
There's a lot but I admire his complexity. How it's hard to admire him directly because we barely met who he was before he got further manipulated into the incel rabbithole....
