Did Xander have the right to be mean to Cordelia in "Choices"?

[Joshua]

Do you think Xander had the right to be a prick to Cordelia in "Choices" considering, that HE cheated on HER with Willow in "Lover's Walk"? I get Cordelia's hatred past Lover's Walk and in The Zeppo but why is Xander a prick to Cordelia? He's the one who cheated on Her

 

[Kenimowy]

Well I think if you take in the point that they were teenagers and still technically kids at that point, Xander didn't really have the maturity level at that time to be the bigger person. Maturity was never a really strong point for Xander.
From the outside as viewers we sympathize with Cordelia because she was the wronged party (plus the whole "locker material" revelation, omg that was so sad.) so we can understand her being bitter to the max over it.

On the other hand, you can only beat someone to death with mean quips so many times before they will eventually quit taking it and start biting back. So while I understand Cordelia's nastiness towards him, and I understand Xander is not the perfect example of someone who acts with maturity, I think they both kind of had it coming.

 

[BuffyElevated]

Maybe not, but a person can only take so much. She was continually going out of her way to be a bitch and he snapped off on her.

 

[YummySushiPJs]

Of course you could argue that Cordelia was a total bitch to Xander (and Willow, and Buffy, and plenty of other people) long before she and Xander even started dating so if anything, him hurting her was karma.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

It was Cordelia. Everyone in that school had a right to be mean to her. If you read the transcript, Cordelia was being as obnoxious as ever.

And Xander cheated on her? When Xander and Willow were locked in the basement? He didn't do any such thing.

In retrospect, this exchange:

Xander: Any clue on what college you might be attending so we can start calculating minimum safe distance?
Cordelia: None of your business. Certainly nowhere near you losers!
Buffy: Okay, you guys, don't forget to breathe between insults.
Cordelia: I'm sorry Buffy. This conversation is reserved for people who actually have a future. (leaves)

has a karmic portent. Buffy and Xander are alive after Cordelia dies.