In Sunnydale, she was cruel, shallow, and self-centered. By the end of Angel, she is a selfless champion, and just as much a hero as Angel.
The mean girl has been a classic Hollywood archetype for years. Chris Hargensen in Carrie. Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl. Cheryl Blossom in Riverdale. We all know this girl. She's rich, beautiful, and out for emotional blood. On Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cordelia Chase was that girl. She puts the hell in Hellmouth. At the beginning of the series, it seemed like Cordelia's sole purpose was to terrorize the Scooby Gang, save for the times she needed to be rescued. Yet, over the course of the series, Cordelia evolves into a well-rounded, fully developed character.