Well since you exampled XI, thing you forgot is:

In the CS, we're merely there and also supporting the main characters of the expansion pack, however we've always fought against the antaganists of the storyline in the actual battles:

Zilartian brothers
Shadow Lord..3 three times.
Twilight God, Promathia
Bahamut..twice.
Omega (Twice)
Ultima (twice)
Odin
Alexander
Diabolos
Fenrir
Lady Lilith
"Altana"
Sentient Crystal
Shanttoto
Kuporich (God father moogle).

So, we aren't helpless, it's just our fight is the actual fight rather than the cutscene, since even in offline FF games the majority of our use is in actual combat rather than CS which is usually just progressing the storyline itself.