The Orbiter discovered a chevron-shaped symbol evocative of "Star Trek's" Starfleet–the fictional service maintained by the United Federation of Planets that organizes space exploration, diplomacy, research, defense and peacekeeping–insignia.
Wait, what??!!? Whoa... NASA orbiter spots 'Star Trek' symbol on Mars - CNN https://t.co/kIHTkDXK8h— LeVar Burton (@LeVar Burton) 1560489572.0
Shatner, who is known for playing Captain James T. Kirk on the Star Trek TV series and in films, seized an opportunity.
"Hey @starwars! Will you hurry up your Rebel Scums? We beat you!"
Hey @starwars! Will you hurry up your Rebel Scums? 🙄 We beat you! 😉😝👇🏻 https://t.co/b53KxKlAlj— William Shatner (@William Shatner) 1560453505.0
It didn't take long for the Jedi master to detect a petulant disturbance in the force.
Hamill, the 67-year-old actor who is known for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, saw something else in the captured image.
Looks like a boomerang to me. #Meh 🙄 https://t.co/mpYAbBrDgw— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1560566650.0
Shatner, 88, continued poking and prodding his newest nemesis.
@HamillHimself Don’t be jelly, Mark. https://t.co/W3CjfNj50V— William Shatner (@William Shatner) 1560567588.0
Fans of both geeked out over the galactic clash, with one user declaring the "Mars race" victory going to Shatner.
I'm always up for a good #StarTrek vs #StarWars debate. The Mars race goes to Captain Kirk @WilliamShatner. Your tu… https://t.co/ludJrSgfER— Joel M. Petlin (@Joel M. Petlin) 1560713420.0
Hamill commented on the presumptuous fan's unsolicited remark.
"Who made you Judge Judy & executioner?"
@Joelmpetlin @WilliamShatner @starwars Who made you Judge Judy & executioner?— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1560715089.0
The rivalry between the two universes goes way back to when George Lucas bestowed Star Wars onto moviegoers in 1977 to global success.
But Star Wars wasn't the first Sci-Fi phenomenon with a strong foothold on pop culture. That distinction belonged to Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, which aired as a television series from 1966 to 1969 on CBS.
The supernova scuffle was not over.
Shatner fired back:
"Looks like someone touched a #RawNerve. Too bad you never came on my talk show we could have talked about your Daddy issues both onscreen and off!"
Ooooh😱 😳 Looks like someone touched a #RawNerve...😏. Too bad you never came on my talk show we could have talked ab… https://t.co/d3Nhu7GVck— William Shatner (@William Shatner) 1560715897.0
But Hamill came in for the perfect landing when he implied that the measure of success was based on a certain expansion at a popular theme park.
@WilliamShatner You had your own talk show? A well kept secret indeed. Get back to me when you have own… https://t.co/KZdZlYUIY0— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1560727535.0
@Joelmpetlin @WilliamShatner @HamillHimself @starwars Yeah, there's a colony in Anaheim...— Tito Está Encendido (@Tito Está Encendido) 1560716752.0
The Trekkers (or Trekkies) made their final decision.
@WilliamShatner @starwars It’s only logical to conclude that was Vulcan work.— Dan Timoney (@Dan Timoney) 1560454642.0
@djtimoney @WilliamShatner @starwars https://t.co/r1sTlP3Tn9— Captain Bearddock 🌈 (@Captain Bearddock 🌈) 1560475865.0
@WilliamShatner @starwars Boom! ⚡️⚡️⚡️🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥 #StarTrek nation has boldly been there, done that. dc— Donna Cordova (@Donna Cordova) 1560453830.0
The Star Wars contingent boasted they were far, far away from an incidental planet.
@WilliamShatner We’re ‘far far away’ from that tiny red planet. https://t.co/pdZlJehflS— Star Wars (@Star Wars) 1560459272.0
Star Wars fans would do best to remember they will always have the moon.
@WilliamShatner @starwars But Saturn's Moon Mimas looks like the Death Star, so they beat you guys first, My Captai… https://t.co/Aqo50JzX9R— Kevin Stern (@Kevin Stern) 1560556930.0
@WilliamShatner @starwars https://t.co/zx3lcifIA9— Mara Jade Skywalker (@Mara Jade Skywalker) 1560483102.0
It appears we've found the dark side of the moon.
@HamillHimself @Joelmpetlin @WilliamShatner @starwars Turns out they just zoomed in on that one spot lmao. https://t.co/v8KcxFAdZ9— ☠Vader☠ (@☠Vader☠) 1560715524.0
Can peace be restored?
@HamillHimself @WilliamShatner Now boys! Play nice!— Emily Miller 🌈 (@Emily Miller 🌈) 1560727677.0
According to CNN, the mark found on the southeast Hellas Planitia region of Mars was created by an eruption of lava at some point in Martian history and flowed around the crescent-shaped dunes instead of covering them.
Winds left behind these "dune casts" in the lava field, and there is no indication the mark was created by the United Federation of Planets.
That we know of.
In 2018, William Shatner released the memoir Live Long And . . .: What I Learned Along the Way, available here. And while Hamill has yet to pen his own memoir, actress and close friend Carrie Fisher's memoir The Princess Diarist, available here, features stories from behind the scenes of the Star Wars franchise.
You can also show your Team Hamill or Team Shatner allegiance with either a Luke Skywalker shirt...
...available here, or a Captan Kirk shirt...
...available here.