Media representation does more than entertain. It helps construct the cultural frameworks through which societies understand power, identity, and belonging. Through film, television, and other forms of storytelling, media narratives shape how audiences interpret authority, legitimacy, and moral leadership.

Across Hollywood cinema, heroic narratives often appear neutral and universal. Yet these stories frequently reproduce deeper ideological structures about race, masculinity, and national power. Richard Dyer’s theory of whiteness provides a useful lens for understanding how certain identities come to appear natural and unquestioned within popular culture.

The Invisibility of Whiteness in Hollywood Hero Narratives

In White (1997), Richard Dyer comments on the power that accompanies the “invisibility” of whiteness in contemporary culture.

Whiteness, according to Dyer, functions as a norm rather than a visible identity. Because it appears neutral and universal, it becomes difficult to recognise it as a racialised position of power.

This dynamic becomes particularly visible in the recurring figure of the Hollywood hero. The career and screen persona of Tom Cruise, especially in the Top Gun series, provide a clear example of how these narratives operate.

These films tell the story of an American patriot who upholds national values while protecting both American interests and broader global stability from an unspecified geopolitical enemy.

Tom Cruise’s characters are consistently constructed as heroic figures. He is rarely defeated, and his role typically centres on protecting others who cannot protect themselves.

This narrative positioning elevates him into an authority figure, reinforcing a patriarchal image of leadership and national guardianship.

His Air Force uniform visually distinguishes him from ordinary citizens. The military costume functions as a symbolic marker of prestige, authority, and state power.

Through this visual framing, Tom Cruise’s character becomes more than a pilot. He becomes a national patriarch, embodying protection, discipline, and leadership.

This representation reflects broader narratives of white heteronormative male dominance, historically embedded within Western institutions and reproduced through popular media.

From a historical perspective, the emergence of Western institutions during colonial expansion produced systems that privileged white populations by granting them access to land, resources, and political power. The resulting global structures continue to shape economic and cultural hierarchies today.

Hollywood plays a significant role in exporting these narratives globally.

Since the rise of neoliberal global media markets, American cinema has functioned as a cultural exporter of dominant Western ideologies. Characters such as Tom Cruise in Top Gun become symbolic vehicles through which these narratives travel internationally.

“Whiteness maintains power precisely because it presents itself as invisible, universal, and natural.”
Richard Dyer, 1997

Dyer argues that whiteness is constructed rather than natural (1997, p.3). This construction becomes evident when examining recurring Hollywood character archetypes.

Many white audiences do not consciously recognise whiteness as a racial identity. Instead, it is treated as the default human condition. As a result, the privileges associated with whiteness can appear accidental or historically inevitable rather than the product of specific power structures.

These narratives often intersect with Western historical traditions that portrayed European expansion as a civilising mission. Heroic figures were framed as morally righteous actors protecting civilisation against perceived threats.

Hollywood frequently reproduces this mythic structure.

Tom Cruise’s character in Top Gun is positioned as a patriotic protector confronting hostile forces in defence of national stability. The character echoes historical narratives of noble heroes defending civilisation.

Ultimately, Hollywood and colonial institutions often mirror one another in their narrative logic. Both operate within systems historically shaped by Western power structures. As a result, characters such as Tom Cruise in Top Gun embody and reproduce hegemonic representations of white heteronormative masculinity that continue to dominate global cultural storytelling.

Hero Narratives Beyond Hollywood

The narrative structure of Hollywood hero films often extends beyond cinema. The figure of the heroic protector confronting external threats is not limited to entertainment media. Similar narrative patterns frequently appear in political discourse and geopolitical communication.

States often justify military actions through language centred on protection, security, and the defence of democratic values. Governments may frame interventions as necessary responses to global threats or as actions taken to preserve international stability.

For example, political rhetoric surrounding international conflicts or strategic interventions is often framed as a narrative of protection. Leaders may argue that their actions are necessary to defend allies, maintain regional stability, or prevent hostile powers from gaining influence.

In contemporary geopolitical discourse, arguments for intervention have included claims that it protects global security in regions such as the Arctic, restores democracy in politically unstable states, prevents nuclear threats in the Middle East, or defends democratic allies in conflict zones.

However, critics frequently point out that these narratives can coexist with strategic interests, including access to natural resources, military positioning, economic influence, and regional geopolitical dominance.

The contrast between the language of protection and the realities of strategic competition illustrates how political communication can rely on narrative structures similar to those found in heroic storytelling.

In both cinematic and political narratives, the world is often presented as a conflict between protectors and threats, heroes and adversaries.

While the complexities of international politics cannot be reduced to simple storylines, the persistence of these narrative patterns demonstrates how cultural storytelling can shape the way audiences understand power, conflict, and legitimacy.

Heroic myths, therefore, extend beyond Hollywood screens. They become part of broader cultural frameworks that influence how societies interpret leadership, authority, and moral action on the global stage.

Understanding these narrative structures allows audiences to question not only who appears as the hero in films, but also how similar narratives may shape interpretations of power in the real world.