Last night, I finally beat Dragon Age after clocking in nearly 45 hours on the Human Noble origin path.  The endgame is pretty damn awesome, even if the final battle turns into a goddamn clusterfuck.  The game is filled with fleshed-out characters, incredible atmosphere, plenty of activities (and more than a few glitches).  It was totally worth my time from start to finish.
 
But to go back to the very beginning, this really needs to be said:
 
Duncan, you are an asshole.
 
I mean really.  Thank you, Duncan, for forcing my hand into joining the Grey Wardens and doing jack shit to help my parents.  How absolutely generous of you to risk my life in the Joining only to do absolutely jack shit for me in return.  The only reason I don't curse your name out loud is because Alistair is usually within earshot in my party and I actually think he's pretty cool.  At least he cares about other people.
 
You cocksucker.

Duncan wasn't trying to be your best friend, he was trying to save the world. 
 
If you completed the game then he succeeded.

Yeah... is this thread a joke of some sort? Duncan is pure awesomeness.

Yeah Duncan let me save my family then end the game there!
 
=( He seems like a super duper major plot point.
 
If he'd help you, you'd probably have been overwhelmed if we're going for the "grittiness."

more like: 
 
HN: I want to save my parents. 
 
Duncan: If we attempt that, we both die. If you come with me, we save the world. 
 
Parents: Son, do the right thing. 
 
:P

Human noble is the worse origin of the lot.

the Dalish origin isn't much better:

Duncan: you've got the darkspawn taint in you. I will give you the cure if you join us.
Me: okay
Duncan: drink this darkspawn blood with the taint in it.
Me: okay
Alistair (later): the darkspawn taint will kill you at some point.
Me: so why did become tainted again?

" more like:  HN: I want to save my parents.  Duncan: If we attempt that, we both die. If you come with me, we save the world.  Parents: Son, do the right thing.  :P "

That was the one origin story I thought had a lame part in it (what the OP said). The rest of the origin stories were completely rad, and I think Dragon Age has set a new standard for RPG's now. I hope that Mass Effect can stand up to the pressure. The original ME and KOTOR don't cut it anymore. I haven't revisited Baldur's Gate since playing this so I can't say for sure about it.

I hated Duncan after what he did to Ser Jory, so it made me happy to see him get cut down with Caylin at the Fall of Ostagar. But yeah, he's just a memory after that.

You meet up with your brother (whose son and wife were brutally slaughtered) in the end. So one can say you did a good thing, as he would not have lived if you didn't end the Blight.

Only 45 hours? Did you skip a ton of side quests or something? 45 hours seems really damn fast.

Oh my this just reminds me how awesome this game is. I started playing it two days ago, and I just finished Redcliffe castle... I'm going to play it NOW.

" Only 45 hours? Did you skip a ton of side quests or something? 45 hours seems really damn fast. "

" I hated Duncan after what he did to Ser Jory, so it made me happy to see him get cut down with Caylin at the Fall of Ostagar. But yeah, he's just a memory after that. "

My name is Duncan and thus I named my Human warrior the same, imagine the unintentional hilarity that the rest of the game's audio provided.

I believe he said it best himself to my Dalish Elf "I will drag you away kicking and screaming all the way to Ostagar if I have to. The Darkspawn threat is more important than anything." Although I guess it's not an exact quote. I don't hate him for it though. I rather wish I could have him in my party the entire game.