Many praised Game of Thrones as a gateway for new fans to the fantasy genre during its heyday. The idea of Lord of the Rings with sex and violence appealed to those who usually dismiss flights of fancy. Every fantastical element of the narrative threatens that dubious honor. Dragons, magic, and ancient prophecies pop up occasionally, but the more esoteric examples are kept in the books. Are mermaids only symbolic in Westeros, or are they hiding beneath the waves?