I guess at least most of them have bad-ass moments as well as their "loser" moments.
In terms of Cullen I think most badass thing Cullen did was standing up to Meredith at end of DA2: "You will have to go through me first". In case of Solas- I think he's quite badass in Trespasser DLC at least.
Alistair sacrifices his life for the Warden if the Dark Ritual is not performed, and if she's his lover he doesn't allow her to do it no matter what. He's the driving force at the beginning of the game and the one that gave us direction in the first place. He's the one who tries to set the PC straight if they're a disgrace. He's the one determined to stay and solve things, even if the PC is not. Alistair wants to fight darkspawn instead of being a king because that's an evil he can fight and defeat instead of trying to do that by doing paperwork. He stands against the whole order in DAI because he considers what they're doing morally and otherwise questionable, even for an order like the Wardens who are willing to do what it takes to stop the Blight. Etc.
Anders tirelessly fights for what he believes in and is willing to die for it. Injustice pisses him off like nothing else. He tries to fight a force that's so much bigger than him, yet doesn't back down. He talks back to people that could kill him with ease - like Meredith. He wants things to change and instead of waiting for it to happen, he decides to be the driving force behind that change. (Doesn't mean I agree with his methods, but still.)
Fenris might b♡tch a lot, but he abandoned his abuser, despite knowing no other life, which meant he had to fight off his lackeys for years, all alone, knowing next to nothing about how to live any sort of normal life, take care of himself, or how to make friends. For years he stood completely alone, fighting, constantly looking behind his back, and he managed. The lyrium markings give him constant pains, yet he never complains about it.
Zevran went against one of the most dangerous organisations there are in Thedas. Instead of hiding when they went back after him, he told the Dalish clan to reveal his location so that they don't get killed protecting him. When you meet him, he knows he's outnumbered, yet deals with you with his usual wit and charm. Plus, that knife throw in DAII is pretty darn cool.
Sten confronts you if he thinks your leadership sucks because he thinks somebody has to do something about the Blight. He's so determined to do the task he was recruited for that at times he seems to think about little else. He's one of the most disciplined characters I know from DA.
Nathaniel knocked out like four Wardens before he was captured at all and despite not wanting to become a Grey Warden at first, he's a Warden to his very core, ready to make the hard decisions. (I may disagree with some of them, but that doesn't change the fact he's decisive when it counts and willing to make sacrifices.) When he learnt of what happened to his father, he didn't sit around pouting but he decided he had to do something about it. He was mistaken but still took justice into his own hands, Nathaniel a former noble that could try and just send people instead, and when he faced the Warden, he faced them with pride and anger, even though he knew he was very likely to lose his life. In the end, he admits he was wrong about his father and about the Warden and not everybody is willing to do that.
Iron Bull sacrificed an eye to save Krem when he put himself between him and a... what did Krem say it was...? A flail? A nasty spiky thing. Iron Bull is terrified of magic, yet pulls himself through the Fade and faces a Fear demon with grace. His "ragtag group of misfits" shows how much he cares about people.
Blackwall did something horrible and he knows it and dedicates the rest of his life to making up for it, e.g. by training young villagers to defend themselves against bandits. It might not be enough, but he tries. He eventually faces his mistakes and accepts whatever punishment he deserves for what he did.
Dorian left comfort and riches at home partly because he has self-respect and partly because he feels that someone should do something about the impending doom and he feels that he's got to be that someone. He not only wants to do the right thing, but he also wants to change both Tevinter's bloody ways and the way Tevinter is perceived in the eyes of the rest of the world. Despite having no part in the evil that's been going on, he feels responsible and he feels responsible enough to participate in trying to fix it. He's not afraid to challenge the system and he's not afraid to become a pariah because of it. That all while being utterly fabulous.
Solas is the one that keeps the Inquisitor alive and shows them how to use the mark. He's the king of screw ups but at least he doesn't run away from them and actively works on fixing them. His task is more important to him than anything and anyone else - he wants to fix the world whatever the cost. (I hate it, but I've got to give him credit for being determined and for caring so much.) He petrifies a person with the smallest effort, without even looking back at them. Even if you have the Inquisitor tell him that you will stop him no matter what, he still saves them from dying.
Even if misguided, Cullen never stops fighting for what he thinks is right and for what he thinks means protecting people. He eventually starts questioning what the order was doing (Shame we don't get to see that when we side with mages.) and confronts the insane tyrant with a superweapon, that is Meredith. He gives the Inquisition all he's got, is honest with both himself and the Inquisitor about his screw ups, and is willing to die or go insane to make up for them and to get as far from that kind of life as possible. Yet he's also willing to listen to the Inquisitor and put the Inquisition above his own wishes and well-being and what he thinks is best if that means that's what is best for the organisation and its war effort. Most of the time you walk in on him working, supervising and organising.
Oghren fights a bunch of darkspawn like nobody's business and in the middle grins and waves at you like he's on a fun family trip. Enough said.
Etc.
None of them is flawless, of course.
For me, it's about the moments as well as their overall deeds and personalities. I must say I greatly enjoy how multilayered DA men and women are and I agree, they definitely have their badass moments as well as their weak moments. Deciding whether this or that character is a loser or not is not all that simple and it's definitely not a matter of one or two things they might do under specific circumstances. That's a great thing to behold.
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