That first page is the ideal resolution to ANY plot.
I haven't read this yet, so I have no idea if there's any foreshadowing that the staff could do that, but I think I prefer my version where the bad guy's gloating about how he's won and then a dragon eats him for no reason.
And also I like to think the reaction in that last panel is "confusion", because the closest to a facial expression I get from that is the :3 smiley, except in reverse, like, 3: - a cat frown?