There have been a lot of headlines this year that seem dubious at best, but we promise this one is real. Fans of The Walking Dead know that the show has a legion of die-hard followers. These energetic fans have inspired entire Walking Dead cons, a number of AMC-sponsored fan contests, and the show's own live post-episode discussion show, The Talking Dead. And that's all aside from the countless pieces of fan art, fan fiction, and cosplays Walker Stalkers have created since the show's inception.

One fan took their The Walking Dead emulation a little too far, though, when they decided to replicate an iconic prop from the show's newly released season 7. The season, which shocked fans worldwide when it opened with two major character deaths, focuses heavily on villain Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as he terrorizes Rick and his crew. This particular fan apparently took a shine to Negan's iconic murder weapon, a barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat named Lucille, as they scored a replica of Negan's number one gal. There would be no news to report here -- if that fan hadn't also tried to take Lucille through airport security.

TSA spokesperson Mark Howell posted a hilarious image to Twitter that brought attention to the incident, and even tagged the official The Walking Dead Twitter account for good measure. Check it out, below:

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We have to give props to that TSA agent for smiling like a champ through the ridiculous photo op, though the fan in question was probably quite annoyed to see their treasured prop confiscated by the government -- especially after going through what was undoubtedly a long, shambling, zombie-like walk through airport security during the pre-holiday rush. As Howell suggests, we certainly understand why the agency isn't eager to see a bunch of Lucille replicas make their way through security. After all, the beloved bat has been known to crush a skull or two.

So, whether you're traveling back from the Thanksgiving holiday or heading home for Christmas, remember: no matter how much time it took you to make that cosplay prop, or how excited you were to buy that collectible before they sold out, if said item is a murder weapon, you should probably ship it to yourself. Or, as the TSA so graciously suggests, at least put it in your checked bag.

The Walking Dead returns this Sunday at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.

Source: Twitter (via Heroic Hollywood)