Small Palms

Small Palms is the twenty-second episode (and series finale) of Clannad ~After Story~. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 12, 2009.

Plot
The girl in the Illusionary World is dying in the snow, and the robot regrets having her take the journey. The girl can finally hear the garbage doll, and tells him that they once existed in another world. As she hums the tune of "Dango Daikazoku", the Illusionary World starts to collapse. As the robot is swept away, the girl calls him "Papa" ("Daddy" in the dub) and disappears with the world. The girl becomes light orbs that grant Tomoya his wish, to give him another chance with Nagisa.

Back at the hill, Tomoya, in tears, sees Nagisa but is hesitant to call out to her recalling all of the terrible things that their "meeting" has caused her. In the end, Tomoya calls after Nagisa. She is relieved that he decided to do so and makes him promise to not regret having met her. Afterwards, Nagisa brings Tomoya through time, and together the voices of the robot and Tomoya note the end of his long journey.

Tomoya awakens to Ushio's birth, but this time, Nagisa miraculously survives. After Nagisa watches Tomoya give Ushio her first bath, she and Tomoya see that countless orbs of light are floating throughout the city outside the window. They both sing to Ushio and from then on, Tomoya and Nagisa experience a happy life raising their daughter together, finally free of their cursed fate. Later, Fuko and her sister are walking to the new hospital to get a checkup. Fūko goes into the woods and spots the girl from the Illusionary World sleeping under a tree. When she approaches, it turns out to be Ushio sleeping under the tree; Fūko says that she would like to be friends, and that the fun begins there.

Major events

 * The girl from the Illusionary World is revealed to really be Ushio; the Garbage Doll is revealed to be Tomoya.
 * The end of as well as - officially occur in an alternate universe.
 * Nagisa survives Ushio's birth.
 * Fuko officially meets Ushio for the first time.
 * Everyone lives happily ever after.
 * The true end of Clannad is revealed.

Appearances

 * Tomoya Okazaki
 * Nagisa Okazaki
 * Ushio Okazaki
 * Akio Furukawa
 * Sanae Furukawa
 * Kyou Fujibayashi
 * Ryou Fujibayashi
 * Kotomi Ichinose
 * Youhei Sunohara
 * Mei Sunohara
 * Tomoyo Sakagami
 * Yusuke Yoshino
 * Yukine Miyazawa
 * Sugisaka
 * Rie Nishina
 * Kouko Yoshino
 * Fuko Ibuki

Trivia

 * This is the first time Tomoya and Nagisa see the light orbs that changed their future.
 * Though never fully explained in the anime, Ushio created the Illusionary World after she died to gather the light orbs she would need to change her parents' future.
 * Clannad wordmark can be seen, after Tomoya and his father holding hand scenes.
 * Ryou's brief appearance eludes to her arc in the visual novel.