While I can’t say I like sex and violence and swearing in my TV shows, I also really like fantasy books. Therefore, I can’t resist the show “Game of Thrones.” It not only fulfills my need for dungeons, dragons and damsels that know how to wield a sword. It’s also the best show about political action on climate change.

Maybe you haven’t watched “Game of Thrones.” Or maybe you haven’t noticed that’s it’s all about climate change. Yet.

1. Politics distract people from addressing climate change

Set in a fictional world, the show wants you to think it’s all about the battle for the throne of Westeros. There’s a king who rules seven kingdoms, all with very different cultures and industries, held together uneasily with shallow alliances. And then once the king (season one spoiler alert) dies, you’re captivated by the battles and treachery of different kings and their heirs for who gets to be in charge.

But that’s not what the show’s about, not really. It’s about the fact that politics and power and petty battles between people are keeping us from addressing what threatens us all – climate change.

2. The signs of climate change are just starting to go from theory to everyday threat

In Westeros, the seasons last a long time – up to 10 years – and the show starts as the first sign that the very long and prosperous summer is coming to an end.

Now, of course, on earth, it’s climate disruption that’s coming thanks to CO2 that traps heat in the atmosphere. And since we don’t feel the effects of the CO2 we’re creating until years later, we can’t just prepare to ride this out for 10 years and hope for the best. But we are seeing the droughts and melt and weather unpredictability that indicate that this is just the start of something we better address before it’s too late.

3. Temperature isn’t the biggest threat

In the world of “Game of Thrones,” when winter comes, it’s not just cold. No one can grow food. The water supplies freeze. And terrible things come down from the cold places to attack everyone. So they’ve built a big wall with armed guards to try to guard against the terrible things.

In our world, it’s not “white walkers” and “wildlings” that come to raid us over a wall. It’s beetles that don’t die out during the winter and kill our trees, making them susceptible to wildfire. It’s ice caps that melt and make our coastlines more prone to flooding and tropical storms. It’s droughts that dry out our crops, unpredictable warm and cold snaps that kill our fruit trees. It’s bigger snow storms, bigger hurricanes and bigger risks. And it’s renewable energy, scientific breakthroughs and changing behavior, rather than a big wall and men with swords, that can make it more safe.

4. Wise people know what’s going on with the climate and the threat it poses

In the seven kingdoms, there are lots of wise people with historical knowledge about the previous winters and how to survive. Sadly, very few in power pay attention to them and even fewer want to give the people, at the wall protecting the kingdom, resources to do so adequately. Every time someone stands up for this wisdom or the need for resources, they are dismissed as being superstitious, the politically powerful say they can’t divert resources from the ongoing wars. And those that stand up for protecting the people, well, let’s just say good things don’t happen to them.

On earth, we’re lucky that we have scientists, business people, academics, nature lovers, farmers, educators, students and, well, lots of amazing people of all kinds who care about climate change and have ideas on ways we can slow, or even stop, it. We may not have all the resources we need to do it – not yet – but we can connect and work together with technology much faster and more reliable than scrolls tied to the feet of crows.

5. Some people dismiss what’s going on as fiction – or don’t care what happens to people with fewer resources to survive the impacts

In this fictional world, when the truth of the coming winter is undeniable, some people claim the bad things that will happen are just fairy tales about grumpkins and trolls. Others cruelly say that if there’s less food for peasants, they’ll just end up with fewer peasants.

Sadly, in our world, there are some people who are afraid to admit or believe that we have the power to destroy ourselves by fueling our lives on fossils. And sadder still, it is the people with less money and fewer resources that will have the hardest time adapting to the changes in climate – from big things like preparing and recovering from climate-fueled disasters to the everyday challenges of affording groceries as food prices rise and paying for heating and cooling.

6. There are people making a difference. And they’re not the stereotypical heroes.

But you know what I love about “Game of Thrones” the most? That there are people who get it and fight to do what’s right.

The characters I love are young (and often short). They are the ones that have been ignored, misunderstood or forgotten. I love Arya Stark, a young girl who doesn’t want to be a lady, but wants to fight her own battles for what’s right. I love the storylines of Tyrion Lannister, a little man who uses his brains and wit to succeed where the powerful and arrogant (and dumb) fail, even if his family doesn’t believe in him. I even like Daenerys Targaryen, who starts as a young, shy girl, but finds her voice and never, ever gives up. Her tenacity and self reliance gives me hope that she will do something amazing, even if she’s really bad at keeping an eye on her dragons.

“Game of Thrones” really is just like our world. It’s not the old guard and the old way of doing things that will save Westeros from falling prey to climate change.

7. The solution lies in joining together to face the climate challenge

I think that it’s the younger generation and those that use their brains and wisdom who will see that the wars and the political battles are just distractions from the real threat facing them. And, with the threat of climate staring them in the face, they will choose not to fight one another, but to band together and meet it head on before it’s too late.

8. Facing climate has the potential to make the world a better place.

And, I want to believe, the kingdom and peace that will come from facing that huge, daunting threat together will be stronger and better than any that have come before them.

However, we’re nowhere close to the final season.

9. Anything can still happen – even a happily ever after

Good thing in our world, it’s up to us, not HBO or George R.R. Martin, to write the next chapter.