The first time we see him in action is when he follows through on an assignment and disposes of a mobster while the daughter of the Mafia don .
is there. He is cool and collected, showing no remorse or emotion, just doing what he has to do. After Ghost Dog kills the mobster and leaves the daughter unscathed, he proceeds to trade books with her and continue the tradition of the samurai inadvertently. This component reflects Ghost Dog's inner core of being, being proficient and honorable in your way of life. .
The circumstances of the second battle prove to be more grueling for the warrior prince and the samurai. In Beowulf, Grendel's "dam" angrily seeks revenge on the house of Heorot for her slain son. When one of the members of the house is taken, Beowulf coldly responds "It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning" (1385). Affiming differences between the aged king and a warrior who is eagerly seeking fame. Beowulf will courageously kill his opponent, or he will honorably endure death himself. Ghost Dog shares a similar philosophy "The Way of the Samurai is found in death every day without fail one should consider himself as dead"(Online). Beowulf and his men arrive at the edge of swampy lake decorated with the severed head of Aeschare. Beowulf's impetuousness and valor commit him to swim to the underground cave alone where Grendel's "dam" lays in wait. Consequently, a bitter battle ensues, much like the battle that Ghost Dog fights when he storms into the house where the Mafia is presiding. Both warriors are alone when their encounter occur. Beowulf's men forsake him during his battle with Grendel's mother. Ghost Dog is a loner, friends only with Raymond, a French ice cream man and Pearline, a little girl that Ghost Dog meets in the park. For both warriors, this is a fight of survival and a survival of their respective codes. As fleeting as the result is, both warriors eliminate their foes and survive the altercation.