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Sure, we’re all excited to see Stranger Things season five finally arrive on Netflix, but we’ll all be a bit sad as well. After all, it has been part of our lives since 2016, but it has been part of the cast’s lives even longer. Joe Keery, who has played “Good Guy” Steve Harrington since the first season, recently reflected on his conflicted feelings about leaving Stranger Things behind for good after the next season.

The interview in question was primarily about Keery’s role in Fargo’s fifth season, but no entertainment journalist would be able to resist picking his brain about the upcoming season of Stranger Things. “It’s been a core part of everyone’s lives, and had such a profound impact on my life, and what basically made my career. I owe so much to everybody there,” he explained. “I love the story that we’re telling and the references of the movies I grew up with.”

However, that doesn’t mean Joe Keery isn’t ready to leave Hawkins behind. “It’ll be weird to say goodbye, obviously. But there’s a part of every story that has to end and it feels like we’re getting towards it… I think everyone probably feels that way.”

It isn’t surprising that Keery is feeling conflicted about leaving the role of Steve behind. It certainly expanded his acting profile in a huge way and opened up plenty of doors, the same way it seems to have with his season four co-star Joseph Quinn, who has gone on to land roles in A Quiet Place: Day One and the MCU’s take on the Fantastic Four. But, after nearly a decade of Stranger Things being the dominating factor in his life, Keery can be forgiven for wanting to head to pastures new.

As we all collectively wait for Stranger Things season 5, here's the keys to getting ready:

• How to watch Stranger Things in chronological or release order
• Getting to know the Stranger Things season 5 cast
• There needs to be more death in Stranger Things, says co-star Gaten Matarazzo
• The Stranger Things time jump between season 4 and 5 has been confirmed by Netflix - and it raises some serious questions
• "They land the plane," David Harbour describes the Stranger Things finale, which he calls its "best episode"