We Finally Know What Really Happened To Arnold's Parents In "Hey Arnold"

If you grew up watching Nickelodeon, then there's a very good chance that you've seen episodes of the popular cartoon Hey Arnold!

The animated series premiered in 1996, and the premise revolved around Arnold, a fourth-grader with a football-shaped head, and the different ways he dealt with living in a big city and problems he and his friends encountered on a daily basis.

Fans of the show will recall that Arnold lived in a boarding house located the fictional city of Hillwood with his grandparents, but one thing that remained a mystery was his parents' whereabouts.

The writers of the show never bothered to explain how his parents went missing during the five seasons that the show was on air, and just when fans got hopeful that they would answer that question in the 2002 Hey! Arnold movie, they were let down again.

Now, fifteen years after the last movie, a TV movie continuation of the series, Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie has been released, and it finally answers all the questions we had about Arnold's parents.

So what's the story behind their absence?

Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, which hit the small screen on November 24, is described by the show's creator, Craig Bartlett, as the perfect ending.

"The movie’s been made to act perfectly as closure so that everybody feels satisfied that all of the storylines got wrapped up," explained Bartlett.

Aside from the fact that Arnold and his friends will be starting a new chapter of their lives, the movie also gave fans an answer to the age old question: What happened to Arnold's parents?

Well, it's quite the story.

We already knew that Arnold's parents were explorers and disappeared while on a humanitarian trip to Central America. The new movie follows Arnold and his classmates, now in fifth grade, as they embark on an international field trip through the fictional jungles of San Lorenzo.

When they arrive, it is revealed that his parents fell victims to a disease that caused them to fall into a deep sleep for the last 10 years, and - SPOILER ALERT - he finds a cure to awaken them so they can return home.

It's a happy ending!

Although the new movie wrapped up one of the shows biggest mysteries, the ending makes it possible for a reboot to air.

"Bartlett explains, "...at the end of the movie, they’re starting sixth grade, so season six is also my hope."

We can't wait to see what else Bartlett has in store for us.

Are you satisfied with how the mystery of Arnold's parents was handled? Let us know!