1. griffin was trying to give the taco plotline purpose
2. i think the magic came from a strong bond being formed which is actually a pretty neat way to look at bonds as they exist in canon
3. Taako seems to be mentally limiting his transmutation ability after the incident with the poisoning. Even though he knows that it’s not his fault, we haven’t seen him regain the confidence that was destroyed (possibly when that bond was severed). So in addition to creating a power source through a new bond, I’d also argue that completing this sub-quest and regaining his confidence in cooking, in the wagon that he first lost it, helped enable him to actually perform the necessary transmutation.
Griffin doesn’t bury his gays, he keeps them safe in a tree until they are strong enough to kick ass like the power couple they were always meant to be.
