CENTAURI
race

Classification: Extradimensional (Microverse) humanoid-equid quadruped extraterrestrial race 

Location/Base of Operations: Nomadic within the Great Syanite desert, Sandzone, Microverse, Homeworld, Microverse;
    at least briefly had a base within the Grey Oasis within the Great Syanite desert

Known Members: Centauria, Centaurus, Karsh;
    other unidentified

Affiliations: Baron Karza, Force Commander (Argon, while controlled by Karza), Shaitan

Enemies: Desert Demons (Margrace, Pharoid, others unidentified), Ostras, Slug

First Appearance: (As Centaurs) Micronauts I#22/2 (October, 1980);
    (as Centauri) Micronauts I#23/2 (November, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: The Centauri had a humanoid upper body, extending to the lower abdomen that then then joined onto an equine body at its shoulders (replacing wear a horse's neck would start).

    As such, they each had two arms and four legs, the latter of which were digitigrade (standing on hooves connected to coffin bones that would be the fingertips in a person), and were an odd (single)-toed ungulate (hooved creature). 

    The equine body grant them superhuman running (galloping) speed, perhaps 30-50 miles per hour; they can likely travel extended distances with over 100 pounds (and presumably significantly more) on her equine back.

    They could rear up on her back legs to gain greater height and/or to use her front legs (and hooves) as additional striking weapons.

    They could also lean forward to enhance their hind legs' devastating kicking abilities. Their dense hooves enhanced the damage incurred his her kicks. 

    Any information on the nature and/or location/duplication of respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and/or endocrine structures within the thoracic and abdominal cavities of their human and equine portions is purely speculative. 

    The vertebral junction between their human upper body and their equine lower body may have been a weak point (see comments).

    The Centauri frequently wear armored helmets/masks that make their heads appear more equine. Unmasked, they still appear to have something of a mane hair style and pointed ears, but their necks are shorter.
    We only see a partially unmasked image for Centaurus (both in the main image to the right and, larger, here), so their facial structure may vary. Centauria's head and neck had completely humanoid (vs. equine) in appearance, but only Centaurus' mane, ear, and eye can be seen; the rest is shadowed, but does not seem so human...

    In addition to their helmets, they wear armor over the torso of both their humanoid and equine forms, granting them some degree of additional resistance to injury. 

    Many of the Centauri have a weapon, such as a crossbow firing laser arrows, apparently grafted to their right arm at the wrist (or possibly just covering their right hand). Centauria notably had a shield (apparently) grafted to her left wrist. Centaurus clearly had two normal hands and no grafted weapons.

Traits: Despite their confirmation, which would grant them great speed and power, and their armor and weaponry, the Centauri were generally cowardly. They were typically ineffective against the likes of the Desert Demons.

Type:  Bilaterally symmetric humanoid-equid quadrapeds
Eyes: Two (on head; color not clearly seen; Centaurus may have had light blue eyes; Centauria's eyes were solid white)
Fingers: Four (plus opposing thumb)
Toes: One (hoof)
Skin color: Dark blue
Average Height: Unrevealed; approximately 7'2" (although not clearly shown next to people of known height, they did appear to be a few inches shorter than the 7'8" Argon centaur)
Average Weight: Unrevealed; approximately 850 lbs. (they definitely appeared to be less massive than the Argon centaur)

History:
(Micronauts I#24/2: Map of Homeworld) - Homeworld's Sandzone was sparsely inhabited by the warring Aegyptans and Centauri.

(Micronauts I#26/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - As Karza's influence returned to Homeworld, the traditionally cowardly Centauri openly defied the peace-keeping Desert Demon patrols in Aegypta.

(Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Having been resurrected by Karza's Faceless Priests, Shaitan arranged with Sandzone's Centauri to meet with the Karza-controlled Argon in their Grey Oasis in the Great Syanite desert; the Centauri assured Shaitan that the Grey Oasis was unapproachable, surrounded by a vast, uninhabited wasteland, and that they themselves were invincible.

(Micronauts I#24/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Shaitan promised Karsh, the chieftain of the Centauri, that he would take him with him in the event that Shaitan's plans turned sour.

(Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Within First Zone, Argon was overcome by Baron Karza's programming. He departed the royal palace and headed into the Body Banks.

    Argon instructed his guards to allow the Centauri into the city and into the Body Banks.

(Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse - BTS) - Having observed Argon's departure, Slug investigated the Body Banks.

(Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Entering the Body Banks, Slug was attacked by laser-arrows, which she recognized as belong to the desert-dwelling Centauri, the only Homeworld race wielding such weapons.

    As Slug took out one of the Centauri with her blaster, she wondered how they had penetrated the city's defense perimeter. She was then confronted by Argon, who explained how he had fallen victim to Karza's pre-programming and had passed them through.

    As one of the Centauri (possibly Centaurus) stood behind him, Argon blasted and incapacitated Slug.

(Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Centaurus and at least three other Centauri accompanied Argon as he carried the bound Slug across his equine back through the night into the vast Syanite desert in Homeworld's Sandzone.

    Argon asked Centaurus how much further to the Grey Oasis, and Centaurus noted the closeness of the oasis and the one whom they would meet there (Shaitan).

    Neither Argon nor the Centauri were aware they were observed by Pharoid, Margrace, and the rest of their Desert Demons forces, who identified Slug as royalty and resolved to rescue her; they chose to wait until the Centauri were within an enclosed region, so they couldn't just run off in any direction in the desert.

    The Centauri waited outside when Argon (with Slug) met with Shaitan.

(Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse - BTS) - Pharoid led the Desert Demons (including Margrace) to assault the Grey Oasis. Many Centauri fell before them.

(Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Centaurus interrupted, begging Shaitan's forgiveness, and noted that they were being attacked. Before he could name their attackers, however, Centaurus was slain by a blast from behind by Pharoid; regardless, the shouts of Pharoid and the Desert Demons answered the question of who was attacking.

(Micronauts I#24/2: Tales of the Microverse) - While the Desert Demons massacred the Centauri, Shaitan summoned his Faceless Priests to ready his Sandskimmer so he could escape with Argon. As Shaitan threatened to kill Slug, Karsh interrupted, fearing he would be left behind as Shaitan fled.

    Considering Shaitan to have betrayed them, Karsh fired laser-arrows at him, but Shaitan blocked them with his energy sword. Noting that his nomad warriors had failed him, Shaitan nonetheless admitted that a promise was a promise and that Karsh could join him...in death; as he spoke those words, Shaitan struck Karsh down with his energy sword.

    The Micronauts toy Centaurus is described as "The conquering gladiator from the remote planet of Equestris" -- obviously the comic and toy versions are different
    The image and information come from the site listed below, but because sites come and go and links go bad, I've copied them here
    https://micronauts.fandom.com/wiki/Centaurus

For Series 5 (1980), Mego introduced its second line of Alien figures exclusive to the Micronauts. Centaurus "The conquering gladiator from the remote planet of Equestris" was a horselike figure with a humanoid torso and arms atop the horse body, like a classical centaur, but with a horselike head atop the humanoid shoulders. His black body was set off by blue arms and legs, yellow forearms and black hoofs. He wielded a laser crossbow, and carried a shield, both black, and attached to the wrist cuffs by the 5mm system. Centaurus' brain extended in mane-like tendrils down his back. This unique design led to frequent detachments, making this part occasionally lost over time.

    The Centauri were not well pictured. Most of the images from the 1980 comic are small and grainy. If they are ever digitally-remastered, we'll replace these with higher quality images.

    Regardless, the image of Centaurus being slain is the very best image of the Centauri (not including Centauria, who has her own profile), so I used that as the main, but also included that in his sub-profile, because it's relevent for that profile.

    If anyone has a hankering, he or she could do full profiles on Centaurus and/or Karsh, expanding them from the sub-profiles below.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Centauri should be distinguished from:

• CENTAURIA - Changelings, wife of Centaurio, mother of Centauron--Incredible Hulk II#251
• CENTAURI (planet) - Human-like, tried to kill Caleb Howard to prevent humans from reaching space but killed by a dog--Mystic#38
  
• CENTAURI-9's robot race - passed over by Contemplator in favor of the Deadpool Corps to deal with the threat of the Awareness--Prelude to Deadpool Corps #5 (2010)
• CENTAURUS - Olympian centaur, son of Ixion and the cloud-goddess Nephele--not in the Marvel Universe?
• CENTAURUS - Home of tentacled Centaurans--Mystery Tales#15
• CENTAURUS - planet of the orange-skinned humanoid Centaurans--Tales of Suspense #45
• CENTAURUS - "Far off" (in relation to Earth); destroyed by Mongoors. referenced only--Tales to Astonish I#28
• CENTAURUS II (planet) -  (John) Population used to live on Earth but now are much smaller than humans--Tales of Suspense I#23
• CENTAURIAN - Olympian demi-god, sword wielding centaur, agent of Bellona, sent to battle Kyllian, defeated by him--Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#54/2
  
• CENTAURIAN race (Chandra, Samaya) - Blue skinned humanoids from Centauri IV; worship unspecified gods--Annihilation: Prologue#1 (alternate reality versions previously seen)
  
• CENTAURIO - Changelings, husband of Centauria, father of Centauron. Blue skin with fin--Incredible Hulk II#251
• CENTAURAN race - residents of Centaurus. Create and/or transform things with a thought, levitate, multiple tentacles and two antennae. In 1953, a native came to study Earth for a short time and, during its visit, created riches to pay the human couple who allowed it to stay in their basement (while secretly eating any other human who came near the house)--Mystery Tales#15
• CENTAURAN race - residents of Centaurus; mental abilities, orange skin, bald; advanced technology (including a time sphere), warp drive ships; live in a culture free of want or greed; one native traveled to Earth in 1963 and taught the greedy the folly of his ways--Tales of Suspense #45 (1963)
• CENTAURON - Changelings, son of Centauria + Centaurio, shot by General Ross, fatally poisoned by Leoninus--Incredible Hulk II#248
  
• CENTAURs - race associated with Olympian mythology, descended from Centaurus. human torso and upper body attached to body of a horse at the shoulder --Journey into Mystery Annual#1
  
• CENTAURs of Myth-Realm - associates of Saraband--HULK!#21
  
• CENTAURS - extraterrestrials who disguise themselves as horses--World of Fantasy#3
• CENTAUR - foe of Sinbad--Worlds Unknown I#8
• ALPHA CENTAURIANs - a water-breathing humanoid race who are natives of the planet Arima in the Alpha Centauri star system--Sub-Mariner I#17
  
• CENTARIUS - Inhuman centaur--Inhumans#1
• ARGON (aka Force Commander) of the Microverse - Homeworld prince, mutated into centaurian form and corrupted by Karza--
• BARON KARZA of the Microverse - Homeworld despot, rebuilt self into centaurian form--Micronauts I#1
• CHIRON - Olympian centaur, son of the Titan Cronus--not in the Marvel Universe?
• CHIRON - Inhuman centaur--Fantastic Four I#117
• EURYTION - Olympian centaur, slain by Hercules in his fourth labor--not in the Marvel Universe?
• HYLAEUS - Olympian centaur, possibly slain by Atalanta vs. Hercules--not in the Marvel Universe?
• MARCUS the CENTAUR - Deadpool ally--Deadpool: The Gauntlet Infinite Comic I#8
• NESSUS - Olympian centaur--Marvel Super-Heroes III#1
• PHOLUS - son of the Satyr Silenus, tried to instill civilized manners to the centaurs--not in the Marvel Universe?
• RHOCEUS - Olympian centaur, slain by the huntress Atalanta--not in the Marvel Universe?
• RIPHEUS - Olympian centaur, slain by the huntress Atalanta--not in the Marvel Universe?
• STALLIOR - Inhuman centaur--Incredible Hulk Annual#1
• other Centaur characters, groups, items, events, races, or places...
  

(Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Within First Zone, Argon was overcome by Baron Karza's programming. He departed the royal palace and headed into the Body Banks.     Argon instructed his guards to allow the Centauri into the city and into the Body Banks. (Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Entering the Body Banks, Slug was attacked by laser-arrows, which she recognized as belonging to the desert-dwelling Centauri, the only Homeworld race wielding such weapons. As Slug took out one of the Centaurs with her blaster, she wondered how they had penetrated the city's defense perimeter. She was then confronted by Argon, who explained how he had fallen victim to Karza's pre-programming and had passed them through. As one of the Centauri (possibly Centaurus) stood behind him, Argon blasted and incapacitated Slug. (Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Centaurus and at least three other Centauri accompanied Argon as he carried the bound Slug across his equine back through the night into the vast Syanite desert in Homeworld's Sandzone.     Argon asked Centaurus how much further to the Grey Oasis, and Centaurus noted that the encampment was just beyond this pass, and the one whom they would meet there (Shaitan) awaited them there.     Neither Argon nor the Centauri were aware they were observed by Pharoid, Margrace, and the rest of their Desert Demons forces, who identified Slug as royalty and resolved to rescue her; they chose to wait until the Centauri were within an enclosed region, so they couldn't just run off in any direction in the desert.     The Centauri waited outside when Argon (with Slug) met with Shaitan. (Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse - BTS) - Pharoid led the Desert Demons (including Margrace) to assault the Grey Oasis. Many Centauri fell before them. (Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Centaurus interrupted, begging Shaitan's forgiveness, and noted that they were being attacked. Before he could name their attackers, however, Centaurus was apparently slain by a blast from behind by Pharoid. --Micronauts I#22/2, (identified) #23/2 Note: Centaurus is presumably named for the Micronauts toy (see comments above), which was the inspiration for the Centauri on Microverse's Homeworld.      Centaurus notably appeared to have some sort of braces extending over his canon bone (the third metacarpal bone) from the hock/tarsus/ankle to the fetlock/metacarpophalangeal joint/"first knuckle").      Unlike most Centauri shown, Centaurus had two normal hands, without one replaced by a laser-bow or other weapon.

(Micronauts I#22/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Having been resurrected by Karza's Faceless Priests, Shaitan arranged with Sandzone's Centauri to meet with the Karza-controlled Argon in their Grey Oasis in the Great Syanite desert; the Centauri assured Shaitan that the Grey Oasis was unapproachable, surrounded by a vast, uninhabited wasteland, and that they themselves were invincible. (Micronauts I#24/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Shaitan promised Karsh, the chieftain of the Centauri, that he would take him with him in the event that Shaitan's plans turned sour. (Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse - BTS) - Centaurus and at least three other Centauri accompanied Argon as he carried the bound Slug through the night into the vast Syanite desert in Homeworld's Sandzone.     The Centauri waited outside when Argon (with Slug) met with Shaitan. (Micronauts I#23/2: Tales of the Microverse - BTS) - Pharoid led the Desert Demons (including Margrace) to assault the Grey Oasis. Many Centauri fell before them. (Micronauts I#24/2: Tales of the Microverse) - While the Desert Demons massacred the Centauri, Shaitan summoned his Faceless Priests to ready his Sandskimmer so he could escape with Argon.      As Shaitan threatened to kill Slug, Karsh interrupted, fearing he would be left behind as Shaitan fled. Considering Shaitan to have betrayed them, Karsh fired laser-arrows at him, but Shaitan blocked them with his energy sword. Noting that his nomad warriors had failed him, Shaitan nonetheless admitted that a promise was a promise and that Karsh could join him...in death (as Shaitan was a reanimated corpse); as he spoke those words, Shaitan struck Karsh down with his energy sword. --Micronauts I#23/2 Note: He was called "man-horse" by Shaitan

images: (without ads) - would be nice to get these issues digitally remastered!
Micronauts I#22/2, pg. 4, panel 2 (Centauri shot by Slug);
    #23/2, pg. 1 (Centaurus and another astride Argon/Force Commander);
       pg. 4, panel 4 (Centaurus entering tent);
           panel 5 (Centaurus slain);
    #24/2, pg. 1 (cast down by Margrace's ostra);
       pg. 2, panel 1 (fighting Desert Demons);
          panel 4 (Karsh challenging Shaitan);
          panel 5 (Karsh slain by Shaitan)

Appearances:
Micronauts I#22/2 (October, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick (penciler), Armando Gil (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#23/2 (November, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#24/2 (December, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer, co-plotter), Pat Broderick (penciler, co-plotter), Armando Gil (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#26/2 (February, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer, co-plotter), Pat Broderick (penciler, co-plotter), Armando Gil (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#35 (November, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Val Mayerik (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Mark Gruenwald (assistant editor), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Micronauts I#45 (September, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#46 (October, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Luke McDonnell (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#47 (November, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Mike Vosburg (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#48 (December, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Butch Guice (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#49 (January, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Butch Guice (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#59 (August, 1984) - Peter B. Gillis (writer), Kelley Jones (penciler), Bruce Patterson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)

First posted: 08/08/2023
Last updated: 08/08/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Races