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As has been said, Asuna character in SAO is mainly "the one that saves Kirito", and not in the sense that Kirito is a damsel in distress, but he needs her around him to fix his issues. So continuing to have Asuna around him after SAO all the time does not prove anything toward Kirito's character development. Him doing the right things things and not taking the easy way out in Asuna's absence proves how far he's come. So for the continuition we need Kirito back in an VRMMO risking his life (or something else that matters on the line), there needs to be a reason for Asuna's absence. Additionally, retroactively after Volumes 2 and 8 it becomes apparent that a lot of Kirito's problems stem from his relationship with his sister.
So to that extent Fairy Dance seems essentail enough to me. I agree that turning Asuna into the fair maiden the evil king trapped at the top of the tower is an outright parody of the damsel in distress and no matter how you look at it, it just doesn't allow for Asuna to do a whole lot for her own character. It certainly took the easy way out, hence Volume 7.
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