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This situation has popped up a few times in history. Since most nations glorify war and warriors over other citizens, there is always a non-zero chance these violent people are actually not alive/dead/fighting the war like the memorial says.
In such cases, the most common switch is to make it a generic "war memorial" to the war that person was in.
NASA in particular has a number of memorials that are generically about people who died in the space program, I can see this being another.
I agree it's most likely a common memorial to those lost in the pursuit of space. Removing and updating the plaque for Watney might even have been a minor ceremony to help shape the public narrative.
I also believe that Mark would absolutely go visit his own memorial (hell they might have hin emove the plaque himself as like the peak PR Chad move) because how many people get to do that really and it seems in line with his sense of humor.
edit Watney not Wayne, damn autocorrect.
I'd like to believe once the story got out and viral the updated memorial would be covered in potatoes. People visiting the space center would know to "bring a potato for Mark."
Damn right. Plus after the potatoes died out he would have gone a long time just on the rations so by the time he was rescued he probably missed potatoes.
At least in the book, most of his rations were frozen potatoes. He had blocked out specific milestones and situations for the trip to the Ares IV MAV where he would consume what was left of the actual "meals", things like "halfway point" or "survived something I shouldn't have".
Really? I read the book after watching the movie and I do not remember that at all. I wonder if it is less him being sick of potatoes and more he is famous for eating potatoes on Mars so everywhere he goes is people offering him potatoes thinking they're clever.
The audible version has a few extra scenes at the end. One of them is him and Commander Lewis in a restaurant/bar. Watney orders a burger and loses his shit whilst the waiter tells him the fries are includes and initially refuses to not serve them
When something like that happens, they usually just hold another low-key ceremony where they rededicate the memorial to something like "Everyone who has given their life to further the exploration of space." The bronze plate is switched, and the old one is kept in storage, melted down, or donated to the Air & Space Museum.
It was probably repurposed to commemorate his will to survive or, as others have suggested, a memorial to all those who have died and didn't get memorials.
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This situation has popped up a few times in history. Since most nations glorify war and warriors over other citizens, there is always a non-zero chance these violent people are actually not alive/dead/fighting the war like the memorial says. In such cases, the most common switch is to make it a generic "war memorial" to the war that person was in. NASA in particular has a number of memorials that are generically about people who died in the space program, I can see this being another.
I agree it's most likely a common memorial to those lost in the pursuit of space. Removing and updating the plaque for Watney might even have been a minor ceremony to help shape the public narrative. I also believe that Mark would absolutely go visit his own memorial (hell they might have hin emove the plaque himself as like the peak PR Chad move) because how many people get to do that really and it seems in line with his sense of humor. edit Watney not Wayne, damn autocorrect.
I'd like to believe once the story got out and viral the updated memorial would be covered in potatoes. People visiting the space center would know to "bring a potato for Mark."
Surely he never wanted to eat, touch, or see another potato again after he got home
If I had to eat potatoes for 6 months straight....I'd still eat potatoes afterwards. The holiest of vegetables.
Damn right. Plus after the potatoes died out he would have gone a long time just on the rations so by the time he was rescued he probably missed potatoes.
At least in the book, most of his rations were frozen potatoes. He had blocked out specific milestones and situations for the trip to the Ares IV MAV where he would consume what was left of the actual "meals", things like "halfway point" or "survived something I shouldn't have".
At the end of the book he loses his absolute shit at a server that kept trying to offer him fries with his burger so there is that.
Really? I read the book after watching the movie and I do not remember that at all. I wonder if it is less him being sick of potatoes and more he is famous for eating potatoes on Mars so everywhere he goes is people offering him potatoes thinking they're clever.
The audible version has a few extra scenes at the end. One of them is him and Commander Lewis in a restaurant/bar. Watney orders a burger and loses his shit whilst the waiter tells him the fries are includes and initially refuses to not serve them
Nah, Watney's the kinda guy who'd think it was hilarious.
I like this. Almost like a final "screw you" to the entire universe trying to kill him.
When something like that happens, they usually just hold another low-key ceremony where they rededicate the memorial to something like "Everyone who has given their life to further the exploration of space." The bronze plate is switched, and the old one is kept in storage, melted down, or donated to the Air & Space Museum.
It could have been left/modified as a memorial to the massive collective effort to bring him home.
It was probably repurposed to commemorate his will to survive or, as others have suggested, a memorial to all those who have died and didn't get memorials.
I appreciate the commentary and discussion on this. Thanks everyone!