But sharks' fearsome reputation is not based on facts: most attacks on humans are cases of mistaken identity, where the shark mistakes a swimmer for fish.
There followed Haig explosions right and left over appointments, or statements of policy, which he had not authorised: fearsome times when the general turned purple, pounded the table and roared his displeasure.
So, since sharks are fearsome predators and could really hurt you, you might start to think that being around one at all is super risky, even though it probably doesn't want anything to do with you.
This threat is fearsome enough to keep American carriers at least 1,600km from China's coast, reckons Bryan Clark, a naval strategist at the Hudson Institute, a think-tank.
As fearsome as the great white is however it's basically an extremely nerved version of its close relative that existed over two million years ago in the same oceans — the Megalodon.
Eight years on, the quiet, puppy-loving girl, who fills all her social media profile photos with adorable dog pictures, has impressed at the Olympics as one of world's most fearsome rifle shooters.
In a Western cultural context, what people call dragons are quite different; fearsome, fire-breathing creatures which look like dinosaurs, live in caves and guard piles of treasure.