Friday, October 7th is the 20th anniversary of Nickelodeon’s Hey Arnold! While some may love the show for Helga’s lovesick antics or Arnold’s “football head,” Gerald was the real star of the show. With his afro standing high enough to be mistaken for a skyscraper, he brought the real to Hey Arnold!

Here are 20 reasons why he’s the most underrated character of the hit 90s TV show:

1. He was Arnold’s lifeline.

Without Gerald, Arnold would’ve been floating through life with no direction.

2. His hair was ICONIC.

Photo: Nickelodeon, Tumblr

It was young white America’s first introduction to the epic-ness of afros. But, questions remain: How did he pick it? Was it still a high-top at over 4 feet? Who did his hair?