User blog comment:Zathronas/Speculative author: Volume 2 and episode 12, general thoughts/@comment-17099359-20141101180237

Personally I think this volume was better than people credit for.

I'm was expecting all the character in this volume to get spotlight seeing as how Monty flat out said that this volume was to address the complain that Team RWBY didn't get enough focus last volume.I was actually pleasantly surprised how many characters we got insight into this volume without drafting to far from the main group.

Which was partly because of the dance plot.Yes I know it could have been handled better (not making Jaune and to a lesser extent Neptune look like idoits for example) but all in all it was handled pretty good.None of the relationshp between the characters where damaged (in fact its was opposite) and it connected to the main plot pretty well.

As for Neo.Yes Mercury and Emerald couldn't do with Neo did because they were already uncover at that point and sense the tourment arc was pushed back.They needed someone who could challenge Yang.

I'm not saying that this volume was perfect.But (finale aside) I think it was a great improvement over the last one.They have a much better handle of most of there  characters and where they want to take them