Adam Savage didn’t exactly sugar-coat his answer to the age question that’s divided sci-fi fans since the 70s: Star Wars or Star Trek and pretty much alienated half the audience of Syfy’s Great Debate at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

John Hodgman hosted the event where Orlando Jones, Aisha Tyler, Adam Savage, John Barrowman and Charlie Jane Anders debated a number of classic nerd controversies and Savage’s answer to the eternal Star Wars or Star Trek question brought down the whole room.

Adam Savage is a frequent Comic-Con cosplayer…but oddly, never in Star Trek outfits

There were many memorable moments from the panel, for example, Anders’ answering Marvel comics versus DC’s comics with “Batman only wishes he was as cool as Squirrel Girl”…and Tyler saying that Ben Affleck’s Batman would defeat King Kong by simply staring deep into his eyes.

The headache began when  Hodgman asked, “Which franchise you would eliminate from existence: Star Wars or Star Trek?” Barrowman’s safe suggestion that they eliminate only certain movies from both was rejected, Savage took the position that Star Trek should be downright eliminated, which resulted in loud boos from the entire crowd.

Left-to right, John Barrowman, Charlie Jane Anders, Orlando Jones, Aisha Tyler and Adam Savage

“Star Trek lures you into a false sense of positivity that the world can be a utopia and recent events have proven it cannot. Star Wars’ dystopic vision is far more realistic and prepares our children for their future. I’m not sure anyone has ever argued Star Wars is more realistic than Star Trek before, but man, what a profoundly depressing way to do it. I’ll certainly never look at the rise of the Empire quite the same way again,” he said.