@Morty:
Sorry, I missed your post behind the other, more important discussion.

I don't think a TPK is the only, or even the probable direction the comic is headed. I think that this is a thematically and dramatically good time for it. There are allies and potential allies on hand to reset the clock, so to speak, and a TPK will allow Team Evil to go back to business as usual rather than to devote time and resources to hunting down the missing dwarves.

Having reread my post, it does appear, if one has missed or forgotten my OP, that I posed it as the only option. My apologies. My intent was to make it clear that I am not interested in discussing the event from the previous book, but would like to discuss the current situation.

For example, it never occurred to me that bypassing the trap might take the party to a different destination. This is an awesome possible outcome.