The ISIS vs. Everybody Else crisis is complicated. Here it is compared to the complicated fictional plot you might have already taken the time to understand, Game of Thrones.

ISIS — Night Walkers. So evil, and no one even believed they existed for awhile! ISIS wasn't a household name until this past year, and it is now aggressively taking control of large parts of Syria and Iraq. The first time there was a global 'oh shit' moment, ISIS fighters entered Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, and Iraqi soldiers ran away and surrendered without a fight. Unlike night walkers, who are zombies, they have brains and want to build their own Islamic nation. Basically everyone living in the region and everywhere else in the world is against them, even al Qaeda.


Assad regime — they are the Baratheons, who have the title of supreme ruler of the land but whose people hate them. Bashar al-Assad has ruled Syria since 2000 and inherited the position from his father. Like Tommen, whose brother and the first heir to the throne Joffrey was killed, Bashar's brother and the heir apparent Basel was killed, though he didn't even make it into office. Bashar is not kind and has been accused of using chemical weapons on his own people. Also note Syrian reaction to the strikes — But Syria warned the United States not to repeat the "fiasco in Iraq by undertaking the same kind of blind military attacks," Bashar Ja'afari, Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, told CNN. — Doesn't that sound like Cersei?


Free Syrian Army -- the Starks. They appeared the leading, moderate fighter of Assad at the beginning, but now they have another enemy, ISIS, and it's kind of hard to see them through the war fog. Actually, the main problem is that it's not a coherent group but a bunch of smaller groups who fall on the 'moderate' spectrum of 'decent human being' and 'terrorist.' They're struggling to keep what they do control, like the young Starks and Winterfell. We're hoping they (and Arya Stark) will grow up and take over, but it's a gamble at this point.


al-Nusra Front — the Freys. They're an al Qaeda franchise that snuck in and fought alongside the Syrian rebels until finally the U.N. noticed and dubbed them a terror group. Kind of like how the Starks thought they were an ally, but then the Freys slaughtered their family. Actually, the Free Syrian Army doesn't completely hate them, and some were upset when they were called a terror group.The leader of al-Nusra was killed during the U.S. and coalition airstrikes, according to the group. They also have rifts with ISIS.


Kurds — Targaryens. The Kurds have had a bad rep in the past— have even been called terrorists — like the Targaryens, whose father was called the Mad King. They don't have a country of their own, like Daenerys, though they just want a certain region and not necessarily the top throne. The Kurdistan region is comprised of Iraq, Turkey, and a little bit of Syria and Iran. Right now, they are the strongest fighters against ISIS in Iraq, and they've said we're fighting ISIS for ourselves in hopes of our own country.


U.S. (and the anti-ISIS coalition) — the dragons, dropping fireballs every now and then, but they can't ultimately rule the area because it's logistically impossible. Dragons because they can't speak, U.S. because, well, no way. Also, the U.S.'s greatest ally — meaning strongest and most reliable — in the area is the Kurds, or Daenerys.


Kurdish Fighters Succeed Where Iraqi Army Fails Their success is strengthening the case for an independent Kurdish state and the demise of a united Read more

Iraqi government — Stannis Baratheon and co. Stannis has alienated himself from his own people by putting his full trust in a crazy witch, and the Iraqi government while Maliki was prime minister alienated itself by oppressing the Sunnis and Kurds. Maliki is no longer prime minister and the Iraqi government is trying a reset with its new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi. Maybe they'll get back on track and have an army that will be a real force, but, like Stannis, it's not really a lead player right now.


Khorasan — I don't know. They're al Qaeda veterans getting back in the game and embedded with al-Nusra. They weren't really on the media's radar until the U.S. announced they hit them with missiles the same night they hit ISIS with missiles because the U.S. figured they'd be taken off-guard. The U.S. said they were planning an attack involving explosive clothes and toothpaste... Maybe a Tyrion thing to do?


Disclaimer: This analogy is based on the GOT TV show and Internet spoilers.