The Mandalorian did this with an AT-ST walker before (and also a TIE Fighter), but it's nice to see this sort of thing again.
By the Force, Abrams is such a fucking hack.
Not every threat should be both over the top and background trivial just because Glup Shitto has a Midi-Chlorian count of over 9000. 
Lucas dismissing them as "kid's movies" always came off as deepling disingenuous. My dude you made a movie about the Weimar Republic falling to fascism where half the scenes are people talking to each other in a giant legislature hall. I know you're a dork but you 100% do not believe it's "Just a kids movie".
I think he said that as a "just kidding, unless..." dodge of the dodgier parts of his writing.