Chrysalis is simply too PRIDEFUL to redeem herself. She would view it as defeat, and in a way it is. I admire her spirit. Being redeemed might be better for her in the long run, but it would lessen her. I loved the fact that even at the very end, she was declaring vengeance and leaping forward.
I think Tirek sums it up regarding her mindset, back in Twilight’s Kingdom, aside from her “disease” spiel in Frenemies that she made.
I am surprised that someone with your intellect does not see this ‘friendship’ is but a new form of imprisonment. Clearly you’ve had to abandon your true nature to stay in their good graces.
She just refuses to be subservient to anyone, to admit that she could possibly be wrong, and that’s undoubtedly a trait she’d hate in Starlight; if she was as obstinate as she, in a twisted way, perhaps she could respect that, but no, she’s spineless, like the rest of those ponies, letting herself be enslaved by friendship, which would never be her.
Cozy Glow: Grogar left me in charge.
Queen Chrysalis: No, he didn’t. And even if he did, Chrysalis obeys no one.
She’s been at it for such a long time, and she’s a tyrant that leans towards Order, even if she’s Neutral Evil in any case, so her mindset isn’t chaotic in the right way to be open to change, ingrained in her attitude as she is.
Unlike Tirek and probably also Cozy Glow, I don’t see her as being the type to beg for her life in the face of being at the mercy of someone who’s going to kill her. She’d more likely be snarling and fighting to the very end, if she could.