I think this was for the best. One of my gripes in TWOGK was how he did all that and the girls' memories got erased. Sure, this was used as a plot point later seeking the Goddesses but still unfulfilling.
Here he has a goal, he needs to leave. It works on his favor but you can see even then it affects him and he tries to give them a proper sendoff after capture instead of just brushing this under a rug. Furthermore he got an option on the matter and made his choice there.
And this all matters to make him respectable and sympathetic. He is doing this because he wants, he estabilished the Earth's girl is who he wants, this is by all means a job for him he shouldn't care beyond it and still did.