User blog comment:The Emerald Sustrai/Neo's Death/@comment-4010415-20160326011826/@comment-4010415-20160327052156

Yeah, I just explained that: In the Volume 1 DVD Director's Commentary, they said he wasn't going to stick around, but they loved writing his character and Gray's voicing of him, so they gave him a bigger role.

There was nothing about them keeping him around because of the fans. There was nothing about them losing Roman because Monty thought he wouldn't be so liked by the fans. None of that.