Concerning James and Cora….we really have to look at these two for who they are. James was a selfish, adulterating, egomaniac….his crimes were no where near as bad as Cora who was selfish, manipulative, and sociopath.
However, Cora also didn’t possess her heart, so she was really unaware of how much turmoil and damage she had done to her victims…James was completely aware. Not cutting Cora off too much slack, but she really didn’t have her heart, so she was practically like a child playing with fire….someone completely clueless/ignorant of the damage their doing to either themselves or someone else. James full blown reveled in the petty crimes he committed.
Upon regaining her heart, Cora completely understood all of the hell she’s wrought over the years and immediately realized the error of her ways. Unfortunately James never had such an epiphany. In the Underworld, Cora is consumed with remorse and admits aloud how wrong she was for everything, James remains the same way he lived, consumed with self-righteous behavior with the ego to boot. It’s pretty clear to see who could maybe get into the good, light side between the two of them.
It kinda goes back to an age old thought that some of the worlds worst people are going to make it into Heaven because of that last minute death bed confession and true repentance, not the ones who do it thinking it’s going to get them in easily, but those who accept and own up to their wrongdoing, and truly feels remorse for the sins they have done…no matter how quick it seems, it’s redemption, and that is what Cora did.
"If you go as far as you can see...you will then see enough to go even further." - Finn Balor