User blog comment:FairyRaven/Fairy Tail Chapter 467: Mother's Key, Review and Commentary/@comment-3441749-20160105023629

A lot of people are arguing that Aquarius' return undid Lucy's development in the Tartaros arc, but I disagree. She still had to make that big decision, and she still had to sacrifice Aquarius, and the emotion is still there. As far she knew, Aquarius wasn't coming back, she was gone for good.