Motaro

"Without your weapons, you are no match for Motaro!"

- Motaro taunting Jax Briggs about his cybernetic arms in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

Motaro is a member of the Outworld race known as Centaurians and a villain from the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games. He is a supporting antagonist in Mortal Kombat 3, and a major antagonist in Armageddon and 9.

History
Motaro was brought to Earthrealm by Shao Kahn after he invaded Earthrealm. The warlord had begun to favor the Centaurians over the Shokan and had helped the former to subjugate the latter. After Kahn formed his extermination squads, Motaro was named as leader of this group of warriors. After Kano's defeat at the hands of Sonya Blade, the Centaurian captured and imprisoned him to await punishment for his failure. However he was defeated by Sheeva, who freed Kano.

Motaro returned in Armageddon, where his race had been transformed into bipedal versions of themselves known as Minotaurs by a curse placed on the Centaurs by the Shokan. In his ending, he defeated Blaze and the firespawn's fire enveloped him. As the flames vanish, Motaro realized that he is on four legs once more, the Shokan's curse lifted. He then swore vengeance on the Shokan for their treachery.

Mortal Kombat (2011)
In an alternate Timeline, Motaro was a minion of Shao Kahn. Motaro made very brief cameos in Mortal Kombat 9. During the invasion, both Stryker and Raiden spotted Motaro fighting Johnny Cage. Raiden got a glimpse into the future show both Mortaro and Johnny Cage fighting each other, and not ending well with Cage. To prevent Motaro killing Johnny Cage, Raiden joins the fight and not only defeats Motaro, but kills him as well. After his death Sindel joined the invasion and try to finish what Motaro started.

Motaro is one of the few characters that's neither playable nor able to fight him in both the Story mode or the Ladder match.

Powers and Abilities
Motaro possesses superhuman strength. especially in his lower body. His horse half allows him to run at incredible speeds and he possesses a powerful metallic tail that is razor sharp and that he can fire energy blasts out of. Motaro is also utterly immune to projectile attacks, reflecting them right back at his opponent. He can also teleport and smash his opponent from behind. In Armageddon, Motaro lost a number of his more powerful abilities, such as his reflection powers.

Trivia

 * John Tobias said during an interview that Motaro was based on a toy he had as a child, a creature from "the Micronauts", the main antagonist, Baron Karza.
 * Motaro's fatality in MK3, where he grabbed the opponent's head and pulled it off, was voted number 3 on Screwattack's Top 10 Worst Mortal Kombat Fatalities list, because it was disappointing after the buildup for playing as a character like Motaro.
 * Montaro's transformation into a minotaur was met with negative reception by Mortal Kombat fans.