When Anakin’s mom died he became…

Okay, here’s my attempt:

Joke Poo: When Vader’s digestive system gave out, he became…

…Constipated Darkness.

Okay, let’s break down that joke and then try to build upon it.

Joke Dissection:

• Setup: "When Anakin’s mom died he became…" This creates a sense of pending dramatic revelation, referencing a pivotal, tragic moment in Anakin Skywalker’s life (the death of his mother, Shmi, in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones).
• Punchline: "…Little Orphan Ani." This is a pun. It relies on the phonetic similarity between "Annie" (a common nickname for Anakin) and "Little Orphan Annie," a well-known comic strip and musical character.
• Humor Mechanism: The humor comes from the unexpected and incongruous juxtaposition of a serious, emotionally charged event in a space opera saga with a light-hearted, somewhat innocent pop culture reference. It deflates the seriousness through wordplay.

Key Elements:

• Anakin Skywalker/Star Wars: A central character from a massive franchise.
• Tragedy/Loss: The death of Shmi Skywalker.
• Pun/Wordplay: The "Ani/Annie" homophone.
• Little Orphan Annie: A classic comic strip character and a symbol of childhood resilience after loss.

Humorous Enrichment: Building a new joke/observation

Let’s play on the ‘orphan’ theme, but bring in some Star Wars specifics:

Approach 1: Witty Observation/Did You Know?

"Did you know, technically speaking, Anakin was an orphan well before his mother’s death? Qui-Gon Jinn, after all, found him on Tatooine with no father listed on his midichlorian count manifest. He was already experiencing fatherlessness before he even learned about the Force, kinda makes the Jedi Order his first dysfunctional family… which probably explains a lot, now that I think about it."

Humor Explanation:

• Hyper-technicality: Points out that he didn’t have a father.
• Incongruity: Mixes serious backstory with snarky observation about the Jedi Order’s family dynamics.
• Franchise Specific Knowledge: Uses "midichlorian count manifest" for added comedic effect (referencing a controversial and often ridiculed element of the prequels).
• Self-aware humor: Hints at Anakin’s later turn to the dark side, suggesting the Jedi Order was not a good influence for him.

Approach 2: Alternate Pun-Based Joke

"After losing his mother, Anakin briefly considered a career change… he almost became a ‘Sandcrawler Annie’ for the Jawas. Apparently, his ‘scrap metal expertise’ was off the charts."

Humor Explanation:

• Continuation of the Original Pun: Builds on the "Little Orphan Annie" connection, but twists it to fit within the Star Wars universe.
• Situational Awareness: Uses "Sandcrawler" and "Jawas," elements specific to the Tatooine setting where Anakin grew up, adding contextually fitting flavor.
• Irony: His "scrap metal expertise" is a nod to his proficiency with machinery and technology, the traits the Jawas value.
• Absurdity: It’s funny to imagine Anakin as one of the Jawas!

Which is better?

I’d argue the first approach is slightly stronger. While the second is a more direct extension of the original joke’s pun, the first approach provides a fresh and more nuanced angle. By combining deep franchise knowledge with wry observations, it elevates the humor beyond a simple wordplay. Both are usable, but the depth of the first allows it to resonate more.