Don't think you can (fully) class Motaro as centaur because of his look in MKA. Looked more like a mythological satan incarnate to me.

Yeah I think MKA killed his character (and MK Annihilation of course) even though he briefly appeared in MK9 story.

However, I don't think he will ever be a playable character again.

Don't remember them using the tail except for projectiles and sweeps. An idea I thought is he could even grow and throw the sharp horns from his head at the opponent (as a lethal projectile). Could've had some interesting Fatalities/Brutalities using the bladed tail as a legit weapon (in ways) or the minotaur horns on his head to ram. Either one could impale or slice.

Speaking of Motaro, what happened to the Centaurs after MK9, in-story? I can't find anything on the wikis about their fates.

Not to dwell on things too much but Motaro's MKA look could be from Shao Kahn's miraculous magic (what an excuse that would be).

I wouldn't mind them using Minotaur!Motaro's design for Zebron in a future game; explain that he's a malformed Centaur, to explain his lack of a full 4 legs, and modify Minotaur!Motaro's fighting style to a 2D plane, and boom!.

Correct me if i'm wrong but Motaro is the only half-human half-mammal in MK. Shokans are a bit different because they have more different lineages, but Centaurs must come in a grey coat too. There were many hybridised beings like Cerberus (the 3 headed canine) or Ammit (who was Lion, hippo and amphibian).

It would be interesting to see him back; even if they don't use the ending for MK11's story mode for MK12, and keep the fused past/present world, the version of the past that was fused was right before Kung Lao faced off against Kintaro (and got his neck snapped, after defeating him) in the MK2 portion of MK9's story mode, and Motaro was very much alive during that time, so it's highly possible that he could return via the time merger. Would be cool to have him or the Centaurs be referenced in a DLC ending, like Sheeva's. The only thing that would fudge this would be if only certain characters returned due to the time merger, since Goro was also alive in the past that was fused, yet he's dead in his lair in Shang Tsung's island, so...

I loved Motaro as a sub-boss in MK3, but I understand why the character has been largely dropped in the games. He served his purpose, but you know what you do with a horse with two legs... (click, clack)

Kintaro vs Goro did it ever happen?

I never like him back in the MK3 days. He seemed like something they threw together at the last minute because they needed something more "extreme" than just another Shokan sub-boss. Also the fact that the AI was cheap as hell with him, didn't help make me like any better. If he does ever come as playable, it most likely will be the two legged version, because I don't see NRS taking the time to make unique character model and assets just for one fighter.

I always felt that Motaro and the Centaur were good ploys against the Shokan Characters like Sheeva. Motaro was a cool character concept and while I don't really see him being a playable character again. In the movies or if they made a TV Show he would be a cool character for the MK3 arc. The Shokan and the Centaur were unified under Shao Kahn's empire but they hated each other. When Goro supposedly "died" during MK1, the Shokan were enraged that Shao Kahn allowed that and he lost their favor. Kintaro was a way to please the Shokan but he wound up being killed in MK2. So Shao Kahn being the badass that he is took favor of the Centaur when he invaded earth and put them in charge of leading the assaults and creating special "Death Squads" to hunt down the Earthrealm champions. I'd like to see Motaro in action leading these assaults and hunts. It would be cool to see Sheeva and Motaro show their hatred for each other but forced to work together too. A good twist of events would be Sheeva turning on Shao Kahn and killing Motaro during MK3.

I'd give Motaro a specially designed saddle.

Supply him with and make use of steel horseshoes (as he always had what looked like normal hooves).

They could perforate or slash, depending on the surface he's stood on.

Personally I think that sheeva killed him in mk11 as her intro shows her ripping a centaur head in half.