In The Heights Ending Explained: What Happened And How It’s Different From The Stage Musical

But just as Usnavi is planning to finally depart toward the end of In the Heights, we see that the beach might not be all that it seems. Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV), Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) and Graffiti Pete (Noah Catala) surprise him with a makeover of his bodega, painted to look like his photos of the beach in the DR. From there said beach starts to fade away; we see a New York Lotto sign behind Usnavi. It turns out that he didn’t leave at all, instead bringing memories and love for his family’s origin to his life in the barrio.