CENTAURIA

Real Name: Unrevealed (possibly Centauria; see comments)

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Microverse) semi-humanoid mutate (Homeworld's Centauri);

Occupation: Warrior

Group Membership: Death Squad (Ampzilla, Antron duplicate, Battleaxe/DeGrayde, Battleaxe/unidentified, Galactic Destroyer), Lobros duplicate, Lobstros duplicate, Repto duplicate)

Affiliations: Argon/Force Commander (while he was controlled by Karza), Dog Soldiers, Baron Karza, 

Enemies: Micronauts (notably Marionette and Arcturus Rann; but also Acroyear, Bug, and Pharoid)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Armored aberration," "horse-face," "horse-woman" (from Marionette)

Base of Operations: Mobile on Homeworld

First Appearance: Micronauts I#35 (November, 1981)

Powers/Abilities: Like the rest of the Centauri, Centauria had a humanoid head and 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, she 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 was an odd (single)-toed ungulate (hooved creature). See comments.

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

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

    She could also lean forward to enhance her hind legs' devastating kicking abilities. Her 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 his human and equine portions is purely speculative.
    Regardless, Centauria's vertebral junction between her human upper body and her equine lower body was a definite weakness, as pulling on her hair by a woman of athletic but non-superhuman strength could cause her to collapse or even apparently shatter her spine.

    She had a small octagonal prism mace, perhaps 6-8" diameter and of unrevealed (but presumably metal) composition, which was apparently grafted onto her left antebrachium (forearm; see comments). This was used as a bludgeon.

    She sometimes wielded a handheld rifle that fired energy blasts. Its range, maximum penetrating power, number of charges, etc. are all undefined. Regardless, Centauria was a capable marksmen at relatively close ranges, and its blasts could easily penetrate Marionette's glider-wings and almost certainly normal flesh and bone.

    She wielded a sword composed of undefined metal.

    Her armor which she wore over the torso of both her humanoid and equine forms granted her some degree of additional resistance to injury.

Height: Unrevealed; approximately 7'2"; relative height after standard transfer to Earth; 7.16"
Weight: Unrevealed; approximately 850 lbs.; relative weight after standard transfer to Earth; 7.8 ounces
Eyes: Apparently solid white
Hair: Black (mostly bald, but with long ponytail)
Skin: Light blue

History:
(Micronauts I#35 (fb) - BTS) - Foaled on Sandzone, the woman known as Centauria was programmed (and presumably modified to have a shield/square in place of her left hand; see comments) in the Body Banks.

    She became a member of Argon/Force Commander's Death Squad alongside Ampzilla, Battleaxe (DeGrayde), and Lobros.

(Micronauts I#35 (fb) - BTS) - Falling once again under the influence of Baron Karza and seeking the power of the Keys to the Enigma Force, Argon joined a group of Dog Soldiers and the Death Squad to Dead Zone, where they gathered at the tomb of Prince Wayfinder and prepared for the Micronauts' arrival.

(Micronauts I#35) - When the Micronauts refused to yield the keys to him, Argon sent his Death Squad to take it from them, at which point the powerful Whirldemons arrived, intending to keep any from accessing Wayfinder's tomb. As the Whirldemons tore into the Dog Soldiers, Argon ordered the Death Squad to attack the Micronauts that he might access the Enigma Force and destroy the demons.

   Centauria engaged Marionette, who used her glider-wings to fly above her lasersonic's beam until Centauria managed to blow a hole through the left wing and cause Marionette to crash to the ground.

    While she could have easily fried the stunned Marionette with her lasersonic, Centauria considered that her brother, Force Commander, would derive more satisfaction from her death if she were to trample her beneath her hooves. 

    Recovering, Mari leapt out of the way, rebounding off a tombstone and landing atop Centauria's equine back before grabbing her pony tail and pulling her head back until she collapsed to the ground.

(Micronauts I#35 - BTS) - Ultimately, Rann and Earth-616's Dr. Strange inserted the keys the Enigma Force in Wayfinder's tomb, unleashing the Sword in the Star, which combined the two of them into a Captain Universe who restored the spacewall, saving both the Microverse and the Earth dimension.

    Nonetheless branded traitors by the Karza-corrupted Argon, the Micronauts fled to Earth.

(Micronauts I#46) - Centauria and the Death Squad (seen only in shadows of their head) ambushed Acroyear, Bug, and Pharoid after the former two had rescued/freed the latter.

(Micronauts I#47) - Wielding her mask and sword, Centauria mocked the Micronauts for having walked into a trap, after which she joined with Lobros against Bug. After Centauria suggested Bug relinquish all hope of survival, Bug argued defiantly. However, while she used a hoof to held hold down Bug while the Lobros' tongue-tentacles snaked down his throat, Centauria advised Acroyear to yield to spare his ally. Acroyear indeed yielded, and Degrayde ordered Acroyear, Bug, and Pharoid be taken captive, as they were slated to provide entertainment at Argon's wedding games.

(Micronauts I#48) - En route to the Pleasure Pits, Acroyear broke free and assaulted his captors. After Acroyear picked up Ampzilla over his head, DeGrayde instructed Centauria to stop Acroyear before he hurt her teammate. As she rode toward Acroyear, however, he hurled Ampzilla into her, mockingly telling her that if she valued him so much, she could have him. However, with the Lobros having again threatened Bug and Pharoid, Acroyear surrendered anew.

(Micronauts I#48) - Dog Soldiers led the captives to the Pleasure Pits after melting off Acroyear's armor.

(Micronauts I#49) - The Death Squad, including Centauria, were allocated sentry duty to ensure that Acroyear, Bug and Pharoid did not escape the Arena.

    However, Huntarr and Marionette, initially hidden in the viewing stands, attacked the Death Squad from behind. Centauria noted that Huntarr had turned traitor (having previously served Karza), but Marionette countered -- while kicking Centauria in the face -- that it was Argon himself who was the traitor.

(Micronauts I#49 - BTS) - With Huntarr fighting for the Micronauts, the people in the arena, rose up to join the fight against the Dog Soldiers, until the dark form of Karza ripped out of Argon's body, grabbing everyone's attention momentarily.

(Micronauts I#50) - The Death Squad challenged the Micronauts on the Arena floor, but Marionette jumped atop Centauria's back and pulled back on her ponytail, ultimately breaking her spine as her humanoid torso joined her equine lower half.

(Micronauts I#50 - BTS) - The rest of the Death Squad fell before the Micronauts, but the heroes were ultimately forced to flee Homeworld to escape Karza's power.

Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo, Val Mayerik, and Danny Bulanadi.

    While many of the Death Squad were created in the Body Banks, I believe Centauria's comment about being foaled in Sandzone indicates that she was one of the Centauri, but that she was mutated there (with the replacing of her left hand with the mace, at least).

    There is a Centaurus amongst the Centauri, so it's not much of stretch that this woman's real name is Centauria, but it is just a bit odd to have a real name that is so on-the-nose. It's like a woman named Humania...and then, really, how many people are going to have the same name?

    In Micronauts I#36, Centauria notes that her accouterments were commonplace among the four-legged dwellers of Homeworld's Great Syanite Desert. I am not aware of other four-legged dwellers of the Great Syanite Desert, and I'm not sure why anyone else would have the same equipment, so I ASSume she was speaking specifically about the Centauri.

    It is logical that the junction between the smaller human body and the larger equine body would be a source of weakness, especially if the vertebrae abruptly changed in size between the last human vertebrae and the first equine vertebrae.

    Estimations are based on a terrestrial thoroughbred horse, but the Centauri may or may not have been significantly stronger, faster, and/or more durable.

    Thanks to esteemed Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe colleague Mike Fichera for his engineering expertise in estimating Argon's height and weight in his various forms; based on that, I estimated Centauria's height and weight.

    In Micronauts I#50, Centauria was depicted with a normal left hand, rather than the mace she had for a hand in her other appearances, including #49, which continued directly into #50...so it was presumably either an art error, or perhaps she wears/holds the mace as a weapon, but has a normal hand underneath it.

    The letter page for Micronauts I#40 had solid images for the Death Squad members, including Centauria, although she was labeled as Centaurus, presumably due to the Micronauts toy character Centaurus vs. Reality-616 Centauri character Centaurus from Micronauts I#23/2.

Main and comments image refurbed by Ron Fredricks.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Centauria 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 of the Microverse - served Baron Karza-possessed Argon/Force Commander, slain by Pharoid--Micronauts I#23/2
• 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?
• KARSH of the Microverse - Centauri, served Baron Karza-possessed Argon/Force Commander, slain by Shaitan--Micronauts I#24/2
• 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

Appearances:
Micronauts I#35 (November, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Val Mayerik (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Mark Gruenwald (assistant editor), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Micronauts I#36 (December, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Keith Giffen (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Tom DeFalco (editor)Marc/Grendel
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#49-50 (January-February, 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: 07/20/2023
Last updated: 03/07/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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