Hours ago, Eddie Murphy made his return to SNL. The Hollywood superstar has had a banner 2019, complete with films in theaters and in production as well as confirmation of his first standup comedy special since the late 1980s. With the fanfare, Murphy returned to Saturday Night Live, a show that his talent arguably kept alive during the early and mid-1980s.

After hosting in 1984 following his role in the cast, Eddie had left the show. In 2015, he returned for a 40th-anniversary special. However, the New York City native provided symbolic support more than comedic talent. On December 21’s episode, which aired into this morning, Murphy gave it all on an event with musical guest, Lizzo.

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The opening monologue featured Murphy, joined by fellow SNL alumni Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan. Dave Chappelle, who famously hosted in late 2016, also joined the stage. The three guests appeared in the closing credits to an episode that also involved Larry David, Morgan’s 30 Rock cast-mate Alec Baldwin, and Jason Sudeikis, among others.

“This is the last episode of 2019. But if you’re Black, this is the first episode since I left, back in 1984,” Murphy joked in the first minute on stage. That note also gets the last word in a joke made by former cast-member David Spade in the early 1990s, who allegedly created a rift between the show and Murphy for a dig on “Weekend Update.” Murphy followed up with “…Money don’t crack,” boasting about his good looks at 58 years old. He also spoke about recently welcoming his tenth child.

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While in 2015, Murphy refused to make light of Bill Cosby on the SNL 40 special, he had a laugh at the expense of his now-imprisoned critical. Murphy joked that he’d become “a boring stay at home dad,” while the disgraced veteran actor and comedian is behind bars.

As Morgan, Rock, and Chappelle took the stage, Eddie proclaimed, “When was the last time we was together, like this?” Rock jokes that they hang out regularly, including a recent hang at Sinbad’s house. Chappelle chimes in, “Right now, you’re looking at half of Netflix’s budget right here on stage.” Between standup specials and Murphy’s films, these men have become leading draws on the streaming giant. While Rock, Eddie, and Dave thank the company, Tracy Morgan makes light of his near-fatal 2014 car accident, followed by a lawsuit against Wal-Mart.

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Chris Rock also quips that while his early 1990s stint on SNL was once thought to fill Eddie Murphy’s shoes, that was impossible. Current cast member Kenan Thompson also took the stage in the closing moments.

Murphy performed sketches that honored legendary characters, including “Mr. Robinson,” “Velvet Jones,” “Gumby,” and “Buckwheat.”

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#BonusBeat: Eddie Murphy revives “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood”: