LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Director and self-professed “King of the World” James Cameron has finally made his opinion on the latest Star Wars known, and it’s causing quite a disturbance in the Force.

When asked about The Force Awakens, the outspoken Cameron said:

“I don’t want to say too much about the film, because I also have a lot of respect for J.J. Abrams.”

Unfortunately, the Avatar creator’s diplomacy quickly gave way to an attack on Episode VII’s shortcomings:

“I have to say that I felt that George’s group of six films had more innovative visual imagination. This film was more of a retrenchment to things you had seen before and characters you had seen before and it took a few baby steps forward with new characters.”

While Cameron’s critique of the film as a retread is nothing new, it is his mention of “baby steps” that has grown fanboys and girls tweeting foul.

Here’s an assortment of reactions to Cameron’s quote that our intern found on social media:

“Baby steps? That would be your Ferngully rip-off you hack!”

“How’d that endorsement of the last Terminator turn out Jimbo?”

“Quit sequel shaming us you Lucas groupie!”

“I would rather have JJ’s baby steps than the snail’s pace of your Avatar sequels!”

Cameron has yet to reply to the nerd rage directed towards him, but we can’t help but wonder if these reactions do more to prove his point rather than disprove it.

Did J.J. Abrams make a film for babies? Was Cameron referring to BB-8? Is George Lucas smirking about the whole thing? The truth is out there… somewhere… probably in a Mystery Box… buried under the ocean floor… next to wreckage from the Titanic.

-William “Willybobo” Bobo