The clash of the titans finally happened, and it wasn’t between starships in a distant galaxy but rather between fervent fans of two of the most iconic science fiction franchises: Star Trek and Star Wars.
The battleground? The RedWire booth at the 39th Space Symposium, where passions flared, arguments flew and a winner was declared by none other than former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine himself.
Moderated by SpaceNews Senior Staff Writer Jeff Foust, the April 11 debate saw Team Star Trek, represented by Redwire Chief Growth Officer Mike Gold and NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania, go head-to-head with Team Star Wars, consisting of Jessica Noble, general counsel at iSpace Technologies U.S., and Camille Bergin, better known as The Galactic Gal.
The event was no mere clash of fandoms; it was a battle of ideologies, with each side arguing the merits of their beloved franchise. Team Star Trek argued for its optimistic vision of humanity’s future, spearheaded by the ideals of exploration, diplomacy and cooperation, as epitomized by the Federation and its starship crews. Team Star Wars, meanwhile, championed the epic saga’s timeless themes of heroism, destiny and the eternal struggle between light and dark, not to mention Ewoks, Han and Chewie.
Bridenstine, who dodged the “Star Trek or Star Wars?” quagmire during his tenure by citing Space Balls as his personal favorite, ultimately judged Team Star Wars to be the winner of the Redwire debate.
However, the outcome wasn’t without contention. Team Star Wars walked away with the victory, but the crowd audibly leaned in favor of the arguments put forth by Team Star Trek.
Watch and decide for yourself!
Who won the Star Trek vs Star Wars debate?— SpaceNews (@SpaceNews_Inc) April 12, 2024
Tyler Mitchell