The exceptional circumstances/explanation exists for this reason. If a creature which somehow plausibly explains the tower scene with something other than strength, as well as the earthquake, then I'd have no problem waving the strength requirement. But as with so many other hypotheticals, we have yet to encounter it. It is hard to plausibly explain why MitD would power up before a hit lightly game, even more so because that requires far more self-knowledge than MitD possesses.
Or, in short: I'm opposed to setting a vote just to tweak the FBS rules over a hypothetical. Feel free, of course, to remind me of this if you feel that I'm overlooking such a candidate for FBS.
GW