Maybe that's how some audiences felt. But I think in general, everyone knew that Part III had already been shot and was coming right around the corner, and fully expected Part II to end that way. Especially given that the original movie ended with a gag setup for a sequel when there hadn't...
The best thing a SteelBook collector can do is buy a supply of Blu-ray case sleeves (such as these). They're basically essential to protecting the metal cases from scratches and shelf wear. At less than $12 for a pack of 100 sleeves, they're not very expensive.
As a side bonus, the "crystal...
Dumb question, but are you sure the spines were actually damaged and it wasn't just the crease of the shrinkwrap, which happens to align over the spines on this release?