The "face on Mars" is a natural landform. There was not enough evidence to prove it was a face, but there was enough valid evidence to prove it wasn't. First it had shadows. The shadows made an illusion giving it a mouth and a nose. The text says shadows made it look like an Egyptian Pharoh. The text says Martian mesas are common around Cydonia. If mesas are common couldn't this just be another one.

Mars Global Surveyor flew over and MOC took a picture showing it was a natural landform. Still, people weren't pleased. People said alien markings were hidden by haze. The MOC went back and took more than one picture still showing a natural landform. The landform showed the equivalence of a buttle.

Some would say it's all part of a government plan. Then why would they waste time, energy, and resources to take multiple pictures. Garvin even said "It's not easy to target Cydonia." He said, "In fact, it's hard work." The text compared it to the Middle Buttle in the Snake River. The face did in fact gain popularity.