What if the cover isn't simply an homage?
I'm thinking maybe the traditional #12 death is them realising that Mac had to die for things to go as they should, so that this #12 death is the first #12 death.

Emphasis on the 'maybe'.

- Le Messor
"At some point we will actually see dinosaurs on this dinosaur tour, right?"
- Prof. Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park)